Dubious candidates and our worries
Your today's( July 9) editorial expressed concern, quite rightly, that the upcoming city, municipal polls are being contested by people of dubious reputation and highlighted the deep worries of the Election Commission. Perhaps if we look at the whole situation in perspective we have to take into account the history of such elections in the past-- nearly two decades since the ouster of the "dictator" where these elections were influenced by the clout of the party in power and accordingly in most situations the candidates were elected with the resultant impact of the ruling party broadening its base to continue its domination, misrule and corruption. In essence, this culture flowed through from the central level of the political parties where the prime target was to somehow come to power and get the licence to rule in their own way for a period of 5 years. Interests of the electorate were subordinated due to the "money and muscle power" of the candidates backed by the central leaders of the parties, who at any cost wanted a "winner"--his credentials were immaterial. Thus the culture prevailed and here we are today to root out this culture in one clean sweep through the aegis of the Election Commission-- this is "wishful thinking".
While the Election Commission can play a part by framing rules, code of conduct etc and effectively enforcing them through the support of the law enforcing agencies, the main players would be the voters who would have to make the "right choice" and deprive the people "with a questionable past". Now the question arises what are the choices that the voters are given? It would be expected that amongst the candidates there would be at least some candidates who would not have a "questionable past", in which case the voters will have a choice to vote for them. At least this election has given the voter this opportunity and here the credit should go to the post 1/11 efforts by all concerned including the Election Commission. This choice to the voter was very remote in the past.
Therefore, it is the voters who through their right of franchise will hopefully make the "right choice". If they fail, "they will get what they deserve". This applies to all other levels in the election process and in the final analysis the country gets what it chooses. So, the decision has to be taken by the voters themselves with a sense of responsibility, patriotism, welfare of the nation, discarding party/peer pressure.
And the time is now to decide.
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