The monumental exercise called the '15th Lok Sabha election'
Ruhi Tewari -
Thursday, May 14, 2009 6:03 PM
The 15th Lok Sabha election is over (at least the polling bit), exit polls have pronounced their verdicts (they sound more like verdicts than predictions) and all attention is now focused on 16 May - when the actual results of this colossal democratic exercise would be declared.
But before we immerse ourselves completely in all this post-poll excitement and drama, a quick peek at the massiveness of the great Indian election and the extent of effort that goes behind it. According to the Election Commission (EC), this entire exercise involved 2046 Observers, 1.4 lakh micro-observers who assisted them, 46.9 lakh polling staff directly deployed in polling station and an equal number of staff and officers used in various election related capacities, 8.34 lakh Booth Level Officers (BLO) who helped in preparing the electoral roll in time, apart from the numerous security personnel who belonged to Central Police Forces (CPF) and State Police Forces. Another 60,000 counting staff has been deployed for Saturday.
Elections in 29 States and 6 Union Territories covering 543 parliamentary constituencies saw a total of 8070 candidates in the fray. Elections were also held in 294 assembly constituencies of Andhra Pradesh, 147 of Orissa and 32 of Sikkim. The total number of polling stations set up were 8,34,944. The highest polling station was AuleyPhu in Leh assembly constituency, under the Ladakh parliamentary constituency, which was set up at an altitude of 15,300ft. A total of 71.4 crore electors across the country were enrolled for this election.
All these resources and effort went in to this gigantic exercise for one sole purpose - to ensure that people like you and I could go and cast our ballot, in as fair and convenient a manner as possible. And yet less than 60% of us actually voted, in a way reducing this entire process to nothing but a waste. Of course, one can always flip the debate and argue about how more than half the electorate voting makes this entire exercise a success. But come on, we expect more after sixty-two years of the birth of our democracy.
Let us hope that those of us who did not or could not cast our vote in this election are able to contribute towards making this effort, towards which a vast amount of our manpower and resources are diverted, worthwhile the next time. And for the EC: please device a secure and full-proof system of distant voting for all those who intend to exercise their franchise but cannot due to logistical difficulties. Believe me, our voting percentage would see a significant jump if that does happen.
To times with greater voter turnouts!