Page 38 - voice-international-oct2022

India

Nurturing Indian Democracy through

frequent reforms

S amuel P.

Huntington in
his book, ‘The
Third Wave’ has pointed
out India’s exception when
the other post-colonist
countries failed to sustain
democratic rule, during the
second reverse wave of
Democracy. The credit is
to be given to the adamant
foundation of powerful
constitutional authorities
like the Election
Commission of India to
nurture the sapling of
democracy into a healthy tree. moving to the courts. The Hon’ble Supreme Court
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed ECI to not withhold elections on the
not only been conducting flawless elections in the grounds that the State Governments had failed to
country but is also evolving the electoral process issue EPIC to electors by the deadline.
with constant reforms. Time and again ECI has However, gradually the State Governments
taken numerous decisions which have resulted in began to implement the ECI’s notification. Today, all
more inclusion and participation in Indian elections. the States of the country have issued EPIC to their
To establish the identity of a genuine elector at electors. The majority of states have achieved the
the time of the poll, a provision was made in the 100% target of EPIC coverage.
election laws of Electors Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) Similarly, the introduction of the Electronic
under Rule 28 of registration of Electors Rules,1960. Voting Machine (EVMs) was no ordinary decision.
For the wider implementation of the EPIC, ECI, It revolutionized the voting process in a country
in 1986 and again in 1992 suggested the Union with the world’s largest electoral base. There
Government that the EPIC issued to electors may were huge criticism and disagreements with the
be made multipurpose. So that it can be used as an system of EVMs. As Honb’le Supreme Court has
identification document for other purposes too. rightly observed ‘Dissent is the safety valve of a
While the proposal was under consideration, ECI democracy’. However, with grit and determination,
issued a notification under Rule 28 in 1993. It stated ECI has left no stone unturned to make EVMs a
that no polling at the elections for the Loksabha or symbol of trust not just in India but across the
State Legislative Assemblies shall take Place after globe. Gratifying the vow of constant improvement
January 1, 1995, unless all eligible electors had the introduction of the Voter Verifiable Paper
been supplied with EPIC. However, the step wasn’t Audit Trail (VVPAT) system has provided greater
welcomed resulting in some State governments transparency to the poll process.

38 | VoICE International | October 2022