Most Neglected, But Most Important Part of Elections “Issuing Voter ID”

Well election time has come again and this time, it is good to see that, both the print media and the electronic media has taken the initiative to bring before people the real worth of every candidate and party. We turn on channels and we see debates, public interactions as to what the previous government has done and what the future governments are promising.

But among all these things, we are missing one very important aspect as to how many of citizens have Voter Id’s and are listed to cast their vote. Before taking the initiative to educate the citizens as to the importance of their vote, and they should not sell it for a note or cast or regional feeling. How many know that how many percentage of the voters do really have voter ids.

It is fact that census is taken and names are listed but how many people are issued voter ID cards in time. If we dig into the facts there will be more number of people who do not have voter id’s though they registered on time. If a citizen sells his vote for a note we say it is wrong, or if a person votes on the basis of caste or regional feeling it is wrong. Then how right it is not to give a right person his right to vote.

No one bothers as to how many number of people do not have voter ids and how many were not issued. Officials have varied reasons as to why the cards were not issued on time but is this right? And who is to be questioned and who is to question? Issuing Voter id’s should not be done as a routine just before elections when everyone works in a hurry and hardly have any time to issue all the cards.

This should be done in a regular fashion, keeping the census as to how many percentage of people have voter ids and how many do not have, and how many more voters are added every year. If we keep this updating then we are sure that all the citizens will have their voter id’s issued by the time of elections.

They say that a right person’s silence does more harm to the society than any wrong person does. Likewise if a right and educated citizen cannot exercise his right to vote just because the officials did not issue the card on time, it does equal harm to the entire political system and the society at large.

So, it becomes the primary responsibility of the government and the system, to know where the root of the problem is, and to make necessary changes, so that citizens are issued voter ids on time, so that they can exercise their right and fulfill their duty as a responsible citizen and bring in a responsible and good government.

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Indian Politics adopts news Technology

Election buzz is everywhere, be it in media or party office, all are busy in getting into their role to projects and portray the real picture of Indian politics.

News channels are being conducting exit polls; recently NDTV has broadcasted an exit poll, which believed to be based on new technology. The survey is said to be covered around 12 lakh respondents in 350 lok sabha constituencies.

The best thing is that, Indian politics is now adopting the new technology including the digital media – social media.

Of course, the tea politics has got a big platform in India, and a party has discussed with people on various places, but also the discussion was loud on social media sites.

Now the political parties have been gathering and disseminating information through various methods depending on new technology.

The popular usage of smart-phones, tabs, computers and laptops have changed the election propaganda in India like the western world.

Cyber media has been at peak and the users have been started attracting their voters towards their agenda.

There is no place for the traditional issues like –water, electricity, and home in the digital media campaign by the parties. Of course, the derivation of theses issue is seen though.

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Who will be the Next PM?

In a series of interrelated opinion and exit polls over the next two months NDTV will be conducting among the biggest and most rigorous polling exercises ever - covering over 350 (out of the 543) Lok Sabha constituencies with a total sample size of over 2 lakh. The sample selection methodology is based on electoral rolls to ensure a random sample with other technology innovations and new methods of interviewing voters (for example, wherever feasible, women field-workers interviewed female voters).

Witness the biggest election coverage in the history of Indian television as NDTV presents the most credible, non-partisan, non-sensational election analysis.

The channel will also undertake a separate re-contact exercise through phone calls just before the elections to gauge shift of voters’ opinion over time. More than 350 constituencies will be covered across the opinion polls and the Exit Poll will also cover more than 350 constituencies. These opinion polls will be conducted in three phases which will seek to understand the mood of the nation and electoral preferences for parties; get a pulse of the nation and analyse shifts in voter perception and preference followed by an Exit Poll for seat prediction state-by-state.

Highlights

Sample Size

• First Opinion Poll 46,571
• Number of Constituencies 154

Mode of Data Collection Computer Aided Personal Interviews (CAPI) will be conducted for all Polls to ensure better data quality

Pure Random Sampling of voters listed in the electoral rolls (for Face to Face Interviews)

NDTV will be using innovative methods to ensure better data quality which will include regular updates and tracking through mobile telephonic-surveys, votes to seats conversion based on proprietary IPR using homogenous swing zones, multi-party swings and margins of victory and changes in the extent of vote-splitting in each homogeneous swing zone.

Fieldwork and interviews conducted by Hansa Research Group.

                Watch Prannoy Roy and Dorab Sopariwala present India's BIGGEST EVER
                      Opinion Poll on Thursday 13 and Friday 14 March from 8-10pm

About NDTV

NDTV Ltd, founded in 1988, is India's largest news and infotainment network. It is home to the country's best and brightest reporters, anchors, camerapersons and producers. Offices and studios across the country host India's most modern and sophisticated production, newsgathering and archiving facilities. NDTV has an unmatched track record of successfully launching both news and lifestyle channels; NDTV 24x7 is a clear leader in the English news segment; NDTV Profit, a business plus channel, is India's number one markets’ news channel; NDTV India is amongst the country's leading Hindi news channels; while NDTV Good Time straddles issues from health and holistic healing to fashion and food. NDTV is credited with pioneering several broadcasting and programming initiatives in Indian television and has expanded into one of the nation's biggest broadcasting houses by growing beyond news broadcasting and venturing into non news verticals with NDTV Worldwide and NDTV Convergance. NDTV has received many accolades for pioneering causes and for taking a leading role in Corporate Social Responsibility. For more information visit www.ndtv.com

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Assembly elections 2013: It's advantage Narendra Modi as Rahul Gandhi flops yet again

NEW DELHI: Congress party's 0-4 mauling and BJP's triumph in three states in what was billed as the "semifinal" for the 2014 elections was the big headline, but the central takeaway on super Sunday was Aam Aadmi Party's stunning debut in Delhi, prising open space in national politics for an outsider.

Read More at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Assembly-elections-2013-Its-advantage-Narendra-Modi-as-Rahul-Gandhi-flops-yet-again/articleshow/27099931.cms

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Do Exit Polls influence Voters?

Do you believe in exit polls? If your answer is yes, here is another question: Do you think the results shown in the exit poll enough to influence voters? Recently, one exit poll shown results that BJP was getting more seats in the 2014 elections, while Congress less.

Political parties do mega campaign to get the attention of voters and their vote in election. The results of exit poll could affect their vote bank. News channels are being widely watched in India, and people do watch election news with great interest.

The exit polls are based on the opinion given by the voters, those are the actual respondents in the survey containing list of questionnaires. And the exit polls are scientific, since it involves the voice of the voters from various reasons.

Similarly, in past elections some exit polls were proved correct, while some fail. Since the voice or willingness of the voters are being taken in the exit poll, during the time of the exit polls that is real. And during the election time, the respondents may change their opinion while voting. And the variation is sure and natural.

Political parties too have been taking the results of exit polls seriously, as those have been indicating their presence or hold in their reason. And before the election if they come to know about the poor presence, then they could take a cue from the exit poll and start preparing the ground from their areas to win the elections.

And the exit polls do influence the other voters about the political parties and it is common. A voter may give vote to a party that is being accepted by many voters in exit polls. Exit polls are scientific and true sine those represent the voice of the voters – respondents.

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Lack of Issues for 2014 Elections

Political parties in India have been in hunt for issues to fight the mega election battle in 2014. The major issues would be corruption and high prices, leaving these two issues all the parties need some catchy things to highlight in the election.

Voters in India have been getting the update about the political parties through public domains – news channels, news sites, social networking sites and radio news. They know the exact situation of the country and would decide the fate of many leaders in the forthcoming election.

The recent verdict of the Supreme Court over the disqualifying the criminal from contesting election was the milestone in Indian politics. It was needed to stop electing criminals to the temple s of Indian democracy – Parliament and state Assemblies.

Peoples’ representation Act is there to boost the electoral and political reforms in India and the recent verdict is going to help these in many ways.

It would be interesting to see if the political parties would contest the elections over development issue. For more than six decades the development issues like – food, cloth and shelter, have been used to lure voters.

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Political Reforms Begin in India

 

The Supreme Court on Wednesday has given a landmark verdict that politicians can’t fight elections from jail. That said the era of convicted political ends in India and the nation has been heading towards the much awaited political reforms.

The verdict by the apex court would boost the confidence among the people that some good changes in Indian politics are on cards. Considering the next general election of 2014 many politicians would be unfit to fight election.

The election commission of India will act accordingly to stop the convicted political leaders from contesting elections. The Supreme Court cleared that disqualification would not be applicable to a person subjected to preventive detention under any law.

According to media reports, in 2009, number of MPs with criminal charges has risen to 162 from 128 in 2004. However, MPs charged with rape, murder, kidnapping and extortion dipped to 274 in 2009 from 296 in 2004.

There is need to clean Indian politics from criminals contesting elections and being elected to Parliament and Assemblies. And the verdict would be a great tool in the hand of the election commission to disqualify the tainted politicians.

India needs political reforms to safeguard the biggest democracy in the world, the real meaning of the democracy – of the people, for the people and by the people.

Somewhere, the true meaning of democracy has been tampered due to the criminal politicians using money and muscle power while contesting elections.

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L K Advani era ends in BJP

The man who spent maximum time of his life to build the Jan Sangh and BJP, L K Adavani, resigned from posts in the party on Monday. However, the BJP President Rajnath Singh told media after having the parliamentary board meeting to media that, the resignation of Advani was not accepted. Four members were absent in the meeting, he added.

Now its official that the appointment of Narendra Modi for as the Poll Panel chief, which also pointing that, he could be the next Prime Ministerial candidate of the party for the next general election in 2014, was the main reason behind the resignation of L K Advani.

In past also, similar such thing happened, when the then president of the party, Venkaiah Naidu had referred Advani as ‘Loh Purush’ and Atal Bihari Vajpaye as ‘Vikash Purush’. His statement were criticised and many reported that Vajpayee become single in the party and losing grip of his influence on the party leaders. Same thing happened with Advani this time and the reason was Narendra Modi.

According to media reports, the RSS reportedly appealed the BJP President Rajnath Singh that there should not be any changes in the appointment of Narendra Modi as the Poll Panel chief.

Similarly, Uma Bharati was also left the BJP blaming on some of the senior leaders in the party many years ago. Advani said to be the guru of her, and she backed to party after consulting with Advani.

There might be many issues including appointment of Modi, those made senior leader of BJP to tender his resignation.

It is not clear whether he will back to party again, however all the top brass leaders were approaching him regularly.

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BJP appoints Modi as head of Poll Panel

It was speculated but not clear until Sunday, everything was clear after the name of Narenda Modi declared by Rajnath Singh, the BJP President, as the chief of Poll Panel. A big responsibility has been given to the firebrand and saffron leader Narenda Modi.

There were differences among the party leaders over appointing Modi as head of the poll panel. The party will follow him for the next general election in 2014. The Goa BJP meeting was proved lucky for the Narendra Modi for the second time in 2013 after in 2002.

After the Godhra riots, the BJP meet at Goa had reportedly planned to out the saffron leader Narendra Modi, but the seniors leaders Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Adavi backed him.

However, the name for the prime ministerial candidate is yet not declared, but believed that Modi could be the best leader for the top job. But that may clear during the election time, when the party will start campaign after declaring the candidate for the top job, as it has been doing.

According to some experts, the appointment of Modi as the poll panel would have positive impact on the Hindu vote bank of the party.

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People in favor of NDA: Survey

The Zee Media Studies has conducted a survey about the current political scenario in India and they are going to choose which party to rule the country. Around 12,000 responded have participated in the survey, most of them choose the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to back to power in the next general election.

The UPA II has completed it four years tenure in the centre for the second time and it is on the way to complete it tenure by 2014. Most of the respondents also agreed that the UPA II government would complete it tenure.

If the survey taken in to consideration, then in the election NDA would be getting majority to form the government and Narendra Modi was the prime chose among the other candidates for the top job.

Around 45 percent of responded have voted in favor of Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister of the India. While 10 percent of the respondents have selected L K Advani . Interesting few other have also selected some industrialists as the Prime Minister candidate, as they would like to top industrialists for the best job in the country.

Coming to the NDA, the coalition may become stronger after projecting Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister. However, there may be difference among coalition parties in NDA over the PM projection.

Few leaders do believe that projecting Naredra Modi would bring Hindu voters together as it was happen after the Ram Janam Bhumi issue. BJP and its allies may get the majority of Hindu votes upon projecting a strong saffron leader as the Prime Minister candidate.

However, election is an uncertain game for all, where projection could be right some time but may times the voters swing could not be conjecture.

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Changing Political Values in India?

With the nation is gearing up for the next general elections in 2014, the values of political or politics have been changing rapidly.

The issue based politics has been the heart of Indian politics in past, but some of the issues might force to change the Indian politics completely.

The issue like women security and gang-rape are few examples from many issues in India; those could stain the India politics.

Next comes the issues of corruption and black money hoarded in Swiss bank, these are major issues that India is witnessing today.

Few more major issues in India are farmers’ suicide and development in agriculture sector. The big question is, how these issued would be raised by the political parties?

Voters would like to know how their leader reacts to these issues and what suggestion they have to represent them.

The issue based politics has been the at the core, and the major issues are sure going to decide the fate of many political leaders in forth coming election and that is for sure.

In 2012, people backed the anti-corruption movement, and now that voters are aware not to elect corrupt leaders.

Local issues have also major role in deciding the fate of political leaders in the next election in 2014.

These issues may be considered as prime in the manifesto of political parties for 2014 general elections.

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Political Scenario for 2014 Lok Sabha Elections

Now the cards are clear for 2014 mega battle in the country, which is the biggest festival for the political parties. The much awaited General Elections are going to happen in the next year, and a year is very less time for political parties for their preparations for this mega event.

The major political parties in India – Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party, are ready to jump into the action. It’s now clear that Rahul Gandhi, who has been promoted to Vice President of the party, is going to lead the party for the election.

Even the senior leader Kamal Nath told media that he would like to see Rahul Gandhi as prime ministeria; candidate and whole party men would love to have him as Prime Minister.

Rahul Gandhi is the Prime Ministerial candidate for the Congress Party, and its allies might not have any objection with the decision.

The second largest party in India, BJP, there are many front runners for the Prime Ministerial candidate. But Namo.. Narenda Modi, the leader from Gujarat, is the front runner. The recent campaign in Delhi, is enough to project Modi as PM candidate.

However, it is not official that, BJP to have Narendra Modi as Prime ministerial candidate. There are concerns as well with-in the party and in the NDA parties. One of the parties in NDA coalition, Shiv Sena has demanded declaration of the PM candidate from the BJP.

For BJP it would a big concern to maintain support of NDA parties as post election it is the coalition government to be formed. A single party might not get the complete majority to form the government at center.

Any strong opposition could force the BJP to find the best candidate to project as PM candidate, who could help the party to get maximum seats in Lok Sabha election in 2014 and win the confidence of NDA parties.

The role of regional parties would be vital in 2014 Lok Sabha election, as single party might not get the 2/3rd majority to form the government. There are two biggest alliances in India – UPA and NDA.

But the parties like BSP, SP, AIDMK, DMK, TMC, BJD, CPI(M) will be in king maker role for 2014 elections. Among these parties some are in the government and some other supporting outside. It is also clear the equation for 2014 are sure to change and regional parties will chose the alliance as per the victory and opportunity.

Uttar Pradesh seats are going to decide the fate of the parties in the Lok Sabha as it has maximum Lok Sabha constituencies. All the parties have been gearing up the election 2014, but it also big occasion for the voters to franchise their right to vote in choosing right candidate to the Parliament.

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Development is Key to Win Elections?

Psephologist might consider that anti-incumbency factor would work in the recent Gujarat election, but proved wrong. This lead to a new question, why the anti-incumbency factor fails in the states like Guarjat, Chattisgarh, where the Bharatiaya Janta Party formed government successfully.

The voters choice has been changed, now the voters believe the development, what was happened in Gujarat. Narenda Modi, the Chief Minister of Gujarat, has been known for the development he made there during his rule.

The Senior Congress leader, Prafulla Patel has reported praised the development work done by Narendra Modi, which was the major cause of the victory in Gujarat. And the statements from a Congress leader about Modi, defines the actual development issue in election.

Days are gone, when the Roti, Kapda Aur Makan (Food, Cloth, and House) were the primary elections issues in India. Voters might not be giving feedback about the work done by the MLA or MP in the respective constituencies but during the elections, there are sure to give their proper judgement keep that in their mind.

There were media reports about the poor quality of rice being distributed in Odisha, and the people might there also consider their right to vote to give their feedback in form a ballot. The current political scenario and election equations say that development and actual implementation of welfare schemes are may be methods to win elections.

No matters, which state or what culture were there in the entire country, but voters know only language of development of their respective areas, that is going to decide the fate of political candidates of 2014 elections.

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Current political scenario of India 2012

India is heading for the 2014 General Election, which will decide which party is going to get the clear majority in the Parliament. As a part of preparation for the big political battle, all the parties seem to be ready with their campaigning strategy and issues.

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Voters should be given a choice for 'None of the above'

Yes, definitely, it is the need of the hour to do so. Because the present situation is, you have given a question to answer, with multiple choice, but with all wrong answers, and there is no, none of the above option, result, though you know that, all are wrong, you are forced to choose the least wrong one, or just leave answering. This is what is happening now, people who are voting are voting either taking money, or on the basis of least corrupt or least crime background people, in the existing list of future politicians and leaders.

Such, is the pitiable condition of the citizens of our country, if this is how the things are definitely there should be an option of none of the above. And only then I believe, there would be some change in the existing scenario. It should be the right of the people, to opt for right things, and right persons and leaders, who can take the nation and its people on the path of progress. If we cannot provide them with the right option the least thing we can do, is not to force or compel them to choose the wrong one or wrong person.

Election commission should definitely look into this matter and consider implementing it, for the good and benefit of the people and the nation. All the crores of rupees that we are spending for elections, all the time and resources we are using to ensure peaceful and right voting, go to vain, if there is no ‘none of the above’ option. Or circumstances should change in a way, that there are right options in the list, and there will never arise a necessity, for the ‘none of the above’ option. Let’s hope so.

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