Transparent & fear-free polls imp than simultaneous: Saharia

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: “Urban citizens in India vote three times in five years while rural people vote five times in five years. This includes the Lok Sabha, Vidhan Sabha and Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti and Zilla Parishad. According to the 73rd Constitutional Amendment in 1992, local self-government institutions have also gained great importance. Therefore, the issues of canvassing are different in every election. Transparency and fear-free voting are more important than combined elections. Nepotism, money and muscle power are the real challenges in elections,” said J S Saharia, the former State Election Commissioner.

He was speaking at the national seminar organised on ‘One National One Election: Expectation and Reality’ organised by the Political Science Department of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University (Bamu) on Monday.

The Central Government has appointed a committee under the chairmanship of former President Ram Nath Kovind to study holding simultaneous Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in all States of India and has tabled a bill in Parliament.

In view of this, a one-day seminar was held at the CFART Hall. Vice Chancellor Dr Vijay Fulari inaugurated the seminar while J S Saharia, Dr Dattatray Wable, convenor and registrar Dr Prashant Amrutkar and Head of Department Dr Suja Shakir were seated on the stage.

J S Saharia said that before contesting Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, a declaration of assets is taken from the candidate on an affidavit. “It is necessary to take such affidavits about assets even when the term of MLAs and MPs is ending,” he said.

He also expressed regret that no matter which party the government belongs to, power in the country and the States remains in the hands of a handful and an established family.

VC Dr Vijay Fulari, Dr Dattatreya Wable, Dr Satish Dange, Dr Mrudul Nile and former divisional commissioner Madhukar Raje Ardard also spoke.

Box

The expert said that India is not structured as a 'United States' but as a 'Union of States.' i.e. a federal-state system of government. Therefore, the 'One Nation, One Election' bill, which risks mixing local, regional and national issues, may not suit the Federal-State system.