IAS Diaries Part 23 - Elections: The Dance of Democracy

Upon my arrival in Dadenggre, the rather sleepy headquarter of the subdivision, I was discussing my idea of setting up a home gym at the residence as there is no other recreation here to which one senior commented,"You don't need to buy dumbles either, elections are knocking on the door, and the Returning Officer's (RO) Handbook is something you will carry around all the time!". Yes yes, it's a giant book which is your Bible when it comes to elections, especially when you are a RO. Just when you would fancy the idea of not having to read these academic mammoths having completed the IAS training, they throw these compendiums on your face. Sigh.

We all know the gigantic scale on which the Indian Election process works but for the electors the span is only ephemeral. Those involved right from the very beginning till the very end, will tell you unanimously that all that is visible to everyone else is just the tip of the ice-berg. It takes tremendous planning at several levels, involvement of all government resources and the exhibition of the highest standards of coordination to ensure successful conduct of free and fair elections. When it comes to your first posting as SDO(Civil), your engagement with the elections is determined by the time of your joining. Every state has it's own election cycle wherein we consecutively conduct Assembly, General and Panchayat/Council elections. Sometimes there are gaps between them, sometimes we have one election every year. For me, it is going to be the later. We had the Assembly Elections lined up just 06 months after my joining. Next year we have General Elections and after that the Council Elections. So basically it means that one would be compelled to specialize in conduct of Elections if one enters in such a phase.

As soon as I took charge, I had in front of me a schedule of Election Hearings to decide the admissibility of new voters and the disposal of claims and objections regarding the same. As Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) of a constituency, the overall responsibility of ensuring that all new and young voters are enrolled lies with you. These election hearings are in fact a great opportunity to know your jurisdictional area and the various sects of people therein. It so happens that in rural and remote areas, you would find an overwhelming number of people claiming 1st of January as their Date of Birth. Mostly these people have no documents with them to reinforce the claim. It's a good practice I guess, makes life easy for us too as the qualifying date is also the first day of January. And in one of those hearings, we came across someone born on 1-1-2000 having his name as "Millennium". Coincidence?!

Simultaneously crawls in the mammoth work of ensuring provision of Assured Minimum Facilities (AMF) in all the Polling Stations (PSs) in your constituency. The number of PSs varies from state to state. Meghalaya being hilly and having low population density generally has 40-50 PSs per constituency. A state like UP or Bihar would be having to the tune of 500. Meanwhile prima facie it may seem easy to handle the former case, where we have less no of PSs, but the hurdles and challenges in these difficult terrains are unique in their own. On top, it only gets worse in case of some PSs for which there is no approach road and those which lie in a shadow area.

The run-up the the announcement of poll day is electric throughout. There are so many tasks to be carried out, so many personnel to be engaged and so many institutions to be coordinated that all other works come to a stand still. Various cells in the office are constituted to look after specific matters of Training, Transport, Expenditure Monitoring, Procurement etc. To your surprise, you will observe that elections bring out the best performance levels in most of the employees. You would never see those energy levels in normal times. It's like seeing the Polar Bears aggressively accumulating food before the Winter comes and they hibernate. But then also comes along large number of requests seeking exemption from election duty quoting reasons from "medical issues" to "inability to handle too much work pressure".

One would think that with the coming of the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) and the Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT), the procedural aspects would be simplified to the core and the time taken would be greatly reduced. Yes, the later stands true when we talk of the counting process. Earlier it used to go on for several days with people working in several shifts, now it is simply a matter of few hours. But an outsider would only see that and not the immense amount of effort required for the training of polling parties on successfully handling these machines and the preparation of these machines by the experts. For a tech-savvy generation, it may seem like the simplest gadget ever, but think of the previous generations which struggled with Nokia 1100 also, for them, it is a painful task, especially the troubleshooting part. So much so that, there are reported cases of fainting of polling personnel during poll process.

Here I must narrate an incident from the Poll day. This polling station was located in a shadow area i.e. there was no mobile network available. Not just that, the entire sector was falling in shadow area. The polling personnel there were all first timers including the Sector Officer (SO). On top of that, the way to these PSs were almost non motor-able and only a 4X4 vehicle could make it through. When the EVM/VVPAT developed a certain issue, the Polling party attempted to contact the SO who was obviously not reachable as the entire sector was a shadow area. Somehow using VHF radio set he was contacted but himself being a first timer, he hesitated to replace the setup as that would mean he would be out of reserve sets. The whole team thus waited for the engineer who was travelling with me from one PS to another to ensure timely support.

As soon as we got the information, we rushed to that PS. We had to abandon our vehicle midway and stopped one 4X4 Pickup vehicle to reach the place where already around 700 people were standing in queue waiting for the voting to resume. Meanwhile the engineer rectified the minor error, we tried to reassure the crowd that everything was fine. We also provided them tea and snacks just to ensure that the irritations does not culminate to boycott. But frankly amidst all that chaos, I was pleasantly surprised to see the faith of people in the institution of democracy. I am sure in a urban setting things would have been very different. People would not bother to stand in the queue for this long to cast their votes. This clearly explains the low turn out rates in urban centers as compared to the rural ones.

Going back to the prep phase, the next important day is of Announcement of election. From that day starts the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) which lays down so many DOs and DON'Ts for candidates, political parties and government servants. So many surveillance teams are activated on that day which ensure that money and muscle cannot be used to influence the electors. All the unauthorized posters and banner are removed from public and private places. Additional magistrates are appointed to enforce the MCC and to prosecute the violators. In one of the meetings, someone jokingly remarked that, "Why don't they do all these violations before MCC is enforced?", something to think about, ain't it.

After that, comes the notification, where the details of the elections are published in the official gazette. From this day starts the Nomination Process followed by scrutiny, withdrawal and finalization of contesting candidates. The good thing is all aspects and possibilities are clearly laid out in the rules thus categorically classifying everything as black and white. No fifty shades of grey here to intrigue your creativity. This is followed by a period of election campaigning which you have to heavily monitor. The domain of Expenditure Monitoring is expanding lately wherein the candidates have to submit account of every penny they are spending for the election purposes. The Election Commission of India (ECI) comes up with limits on such expenditure by candidates depending on the state and type of election. A similar limit for Political Parties has been long pending, I wonder why?!

The population density of Meghalaya is around 140 people per sq km. Yes, you heard that right. Mumbai has  approx 30,000 people per sq km, Kolkata has 25,000. So, it's rarely that you will see a huge crowd gathering here. Most of such occasions are during elections and the two most prominent  ones are dispersal of polling parties and the receiving of polled EVMs. Imagine thousands of polling parties diverging and conversing to a single venue. In plain areas, the whole process of receiving can be wrapped up by midnight as all polling parties would reach back in time. In hilly and non-motorable terrain like Meghalaya, it is nothing less than a Jagrata. Some polling parties return next day in the wee hours.

But certainly the most challenging part is the Poll Day. It is almost like a 100 m sprint after you have finished running a full marathon. The first few seconds would determine your final performance. The first hour is crucial where the mock poll has to be conducted and the actual poll has to be kick started. Once this is done properly, rest of the part goes smoothly usually. The SOs are running around all their PSs during this first hour ensuring everything goes well. And RO sits somewhere in the constituency praying profusely for the same. If something goes wrong on the poll-day, that would mean a re-poll which no one wants. It's like having to give Prelims all over again after giving a fabulous Interview.

It doesn't end with poll-day folks, you would most probably be running around all night to ensure proper receiving of polled EVMs. Next day morning you take up the scrutiny of various documents filled up during poll in the presence of the Observers to determine if re-poll is needed somewhere. Post that, you have the counting process lined up which requires large rooms to be prepared as per ECI design with wire meshes and what not. Thanks to EVMs, the counting happens quickly but that is followed by endless reporting of facts and figures. It doesn't end with results either, the following month is about ensuring submission of election accounts failing which the candidates can be disqualified. And with that comes a sudden lull, wherein you feel there is nothing to do and ergo you ponder upon the looming existential crisis. But it's only for few days until you get that letter, "Summary revision for next elections coming soon!".

There are times during this process, where one feels that overwhelmingly large quantum of resources are being spent in this democratic exercise. All other works come to a stand still. The entire government machinery is requisitioned for it. Is it all worth it ? And then eventually you also see the faith people place in this institution, their ardent resolve to participate in the electoral process to exercise their voting rights and then the victory of the majority of that say. People electing people who would be shaping the aspirations of those who chose them. You then reflect upon your own role to ensure that it was free and fair. And with that, wither away, all those apprehensions, and what resonates in your mind are these words of Abraham Lincoln,"The ballot IS stronger than the bullet!".

P.S. Link to the last post in this series given below
IAS Diaries Part 22 - The Solar Project 

Hope

He had an air of confidence around him. Passion for govt service and industry towards his discipline were more than evident through his demeanor. Amidst a fruitful discussion revolving around infrastructure, he narrated something which I must share.

"During election duty long ago, our team was ambushed and they put 8 bullets through me. I never thought I would survive that and would be able to resume my service. I was happy doing my job and serving the people of my state. That's the only thing I ever wanted. I prayed. That's the only thing I could do lying in the hospital bed for a year.And it worked. May be there is something up there or where ever, looking out for people who have compassion".

Perhaps he is right. Perhaps not. But his perseverance and resurrection are inspiring beyond limits. Fountainhead of faith, of will and of hope!

The Plastic Guilt

Standing on the bridge over river Ringgi, one could see through the waters, one could observe the melodious maneuvers of the Common Carps. The sunlight piercing through the layers to eventually fall upon their golden fins. There are rocks scattered along the river path, as if arranged by some artist. Green canopies on either side. What a sight.

And then your gaze falls upon heaps of polythene bags, food wraps and other non-biodegradable litter along the banks. The place being rural lacks a Municipal system for garbage connection. But the lifestyles are getting urbanized with love for processed food etc. Looking at that, these days, I hesitate to buy anything which comes in a polythene. Serene surroundings inculcating the Plastic guilt!

Remembering Deepu

Whenever I think of him, I always see a face with a smile that is more than infectious. Whenever I discussed any predicaments with him, he would always come up with something to boost confidence. Whenever we discussed sports, his passion would silence everyone around. Whenever we talked of the social discourse, his compassion would inspire everyone around.

"Those years with you in school would always be remembered. That zeal to do something for the youth would keep inspiring me. That perpetual optimism, would be perpetual, with all those who have known you. May the gods give strength to the family.
Rest in Peace, my dear friend".

The Gentleman Smasher

It was the finals of Dadenggre Men's Badminton Cup organized under the aegis of our office. The two opponents showcased stark contrast in their respective attires. One dressed in proper sports gear, other simply in a shirt-pant. He owned no sports gear, he submitted, smiling.

Seemed like an easy choice to bet for the winner. Even the body movements and composure were with the former. But as they say, and rightly so, never to have prejudice. The gentleman in formals, moved swiftly to cover his court, defying the restraints courtesy the attire. He perhaps had no formal training as well. But he had one thing which perhaps matters the most, the desire. Makes everything else seem irrelevant. What a win, you gentleman smasher.

Omnipresent nuisance

It was a beautiful day, I must acknowledge. The winds were not bothersome. The temperature wasn't chilly. The journey wasn't arduous but multi-modal. Vehicle till the end of road, two-wheeler until it was too narrow and then some trekking by the stream. Finally we reached the village we intended to be in.

I thought we had left everything behind us while reaching this place. There were no roads there, no electricity, no potable water facility or sanitation avenues. Bare vintage, I thought. Nothing has reached this place. Ephemeral silence of cognition. And then we saw the other side of the hillock, where lay, heap of Polythene bags of processed food, mocking us on our faces. Where ever we go, the wrath of this omnipresent nuisance follows. Sigh.

Basket-ing Joy

Not very long ago, I went to this school in Dadenggre where I noticed a Basketball Court. Both the boards were broken, only few strands of the nets were remaining and the concrete floor had holes bigger than the ball itself. It had been lying there undone for several years for want of funds, or perhaps merely a will to act. I am not to judge.

But that made me sad that day, few thousand rupees keeping so many children away from the court. I simply could not wait to figure out ways and went ahead with the renovation myself. We got the floor repaired and provided for new boards, rings, nets and balls. On the inaugural, the fervor was such that forget students, even the teachers hopped in the court.

They all tried to score a basket but in vain, failed miserably to be frank. And amidst that ubiquitous laughter, I pondered, with so little,, at least we could basket, joy!

Silent Workers

It was the occasion of International Women's Day and thus a special assembly session was convened in the Don Bosco College. Father Bivan, the principal, was addressing the gathering and what he said was deeply emotional.

"Dear students, do you know who has planted these lovely flowers? Who works all day in the heat to water these beautiful plants? Do you know who cleans up the college everyday, who keeps the corridors spick and span? Do you know their names? Do you even recall their faces? Today we are going to honor these ladies".

As they came forward to receive the award, the place reverberated with applause and cheer. I could see in their eyes the overwhelming joy. I could see on their face, a satisfying smile. At times, appreciation can be the biggest gift, for these silent workers. Happy Women's Day.

Run for a Clean India, they said.

As the participants gathered near the Start Point of the Half Marathon, the organizers proudly reminded all that this is also a run for Clean India. Most of the crowd cheered in unison showcasing their unshakable resolve meanwhile few were busy relieving themselves against the wall. And not far, stood the temporary toilets set up, watching in silence and experiencing an existential crisis. We will run for a Clean India, they said.

It was the first water station point, just 2 KMs from the the start. The runners pounced at the plastic water bottles, nothing wrong, they were perhaps dehydrated. They took a sip and threw rest of the water over themselves, to cool down the overheated body, perhaps. And then with all the swag in the world, they threw those bottles everywhere they could. I wonder if it was the passion of running that made them blind to the dustbins available at these points. Or perhaps carrying these bottles to the next dustbin point would slow them down and they might miss the podium finish, such dedicated bunch. We will run for a Clean India, they said.

The last drag of the Half marathon culminated into the other races. The fun runs and walks for short distances. These races attract the maximum numbers. And all of them with two bottles of water in their hands. Given their total distance, they must be sipping it for every step they take. The dustbins placed were not sufficient, not anywhere close. The procession left a sea of plastic bottles behind. We will run for a Clean India, they said.

They can provide temporary toilets. They can provide dustbins. They can create Cleanliness jingles and what not. But unless, WE, the people change our rotten habits, all would be in vain. We will run for a Clean India, they said.

Ki.ma

Sadolpara village always fascinates me. This place is among the few left where you can experience the traditional Garo Culture in its pristine form. Today amidst our inspection walks to monitor Fair Price Shops in the area, this ancient looking piece of art came across. A wooden sculpture of sorts, wrapped with cloths and a chiseled face on the top. A figurine of sorts. They call it "Ki.ma".

When I asked the owner of the house, what it was, his straight-face reply shook me a little, "My Mother", he said. He could have said "A statue of my mother" or "A remembrance" etc. But his reply and tone meant something deep. That the spirit is immortal. That the endearment is eternal. That even now, the mother watches over us all. And that the bonds cannot be at the mercy of our transient existence.

Inverted Luminescence

Some twenty years ago perhaps, it was a beautiful night, we lay on the rooftop of our house amidst the comforting breeze of autumn. The sky was so clear then. The stars so prominent and spectacularly inviting. Then, it was an adornment of mother nature.

Few days ago, as we sat inside this vintage view point in Mussoorie, something popped up in the landscape of my imagination. We could no more see those stars in the sky these days. Not even in the countryside which we perceive as free from the pollution. It was all dark above us but as I looked down, the lights from houses and streets twinkled as if they were the stars now.

This inverted luminescence won't do.
This artificial shimmer won't do.
I want the stars back. Sigh