Amidst raging EVM controversy in UP, it is bounden duty of EC to restore people’s faith in election process

While the nation anxiously waits for the results of Uttar Pradesh election, allegations of rigging and suspicious movement of EVMs around the state are catching the headlines.

Samajwadi Party, the main opposition in the state, has raised questions over the integrity of the poll body and the poll machinery.

While the Election Commission has come up a clarification, the ruling BJP has rubbished these allegations.

With EC under the scanner, it is now to be seen how the election body restores people’s faith in the election process which stands shaken amid allegations and counter-allegations.

Suspicions raised by Akhilesh Yadav can be criticised as a political gimmick for a leader who might have sensed his defeat, but it isn’t enough to restore the faith of people in the election process. Even if a single voter remains dissatisfied, he may be a possible threat for the democratic system.

Our own experiences suggest that faith in the election process is the most important thing for peace.

Those who attended the press conference held by Akhilesh Yadav on may have noticed dissatisfaction on his face. On his side was Om Prakash Rajbhar, another prominent OBC leader, who also talked in a disturbing tone.

A video of Samajwadi Party workers holding EVMs in their hands, snatched from a truck they claimed ‘was trying to escape’ was played live at the conference.

The mood of the opposition can be gauged by the verbatim. “To protect youth, democracy, and future, become soldiers in counting of votes,” said Akhilesh Yadav at the press conference. “We are not afraid of any SP or Dy. SP who says police will shoot,” said Om Prakash Rajbhar.

It is evident that each and every vote will be contested, including the controversial postal ballots. It will not be an easy task to satisfy the opposition candidates if they lose.

With suspicion in their mind, raised by the alleged bias of the poll body, opaqueness in decision making and vague answers regarding the alleged “EVM movement without following a protocol”, people can’t easily be made to swallow the election results if they go as shown by the exit polls.

The administration of Varanasi has said, “The machines in trucks stopped by the Samajwadi Party workers were meant for training of counting officials.” The Election Commission says “the machines used in election are in strong rooms under a three layer security.”

Though these claims may be correct, the question of protocol and transparency remains in place.

Opposition parties are claiming that they should have been informed if there was some movement of EVMs. They are also alleging that these machines were to be fed with ‘bogus votes’ and “on the counting day may be replaced by original machines while moving them from the strong room to the counting centre.”

The Opposition has also alleged that not only in Varanasi, but also at other places in the state, similar incidents have happened since polling started in UP on February 10.

Even if these allegations were unsubstantiated, for the sake of the good health of democracy, the poll body should ensure transparency and fairness. What if it fails?

We all know “Free and Fair” elections are a prerequisite for a strong democracy. If the faith of a single participant in the process is shaken, the entire process is worthless. We, in the past, have witnessed consequences and outcomes when people lost their faith in the system itself.

The Samajwadi Party has claimed that “this is the last election, until people will be forced out to come on the streets” and it may just be an indication of the events in the coming months.

Fatos Nano, an Albanian Socialist leader, once said, “Organizing free and fair elections is more important than the result itself.” Nano was calling for fairness at a time when allegations of rigging started surfacing in the state of Kashmir.

We should pray that the election process remains peaceful and “people aren’t forced onto the streets”, as Akhilesh Yadav sad.

If the counting process remains transparent, whatever may be the results, people are sensing a change. The Samajwadi Party-led alliance is energized with the return of OBC voters to their fold, and the huge public rallies during the election may have given confidence to its leaders to go for people’s movement, an element we have missed for years.

At least, Akhilesh Yadav seems to have learnt that politics is more about connecting with people and not social media activism.

Whatever may be the results on Thursday, it is clear that the ruling party will not be allowed to rest by the current opposition. Even the exit polls are suggesting that OBCs and Dalit voters are returning to their favoured parties.

If this comes true, even if the opposition loses this election, they won’t sit idle for now. The main battle is for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The 2022 UP elections may just become the template for luring back their core voters back home for all the opposition parties. This election has opened the window. It won’t be easy for the ruling BJP to keep hold on dissatisfied social groups by just throwing them some freebies.

In the present moment, faith in democracy is really at stake and it is up to the Election Commission to restore this faith by transparent and fair count of votes, whatever it may take. If it fails, the idea of the election itself will become meaningless.

Views are personal