Byelections show the ugly face of violence

SIMULTANEOUS elections are worth considering because under the present system, there are elections in some states and for the Lok Sabha year after year. When that occurs, work in the secretariats comes to a grinding halt and thousands of manhours are wast

It is a measure of the failure of the Mehbooba Mufti government to frustrate the designs of militants from across the border in cahoots with local mischief-mongers that the Srinagar Lok Sabha by-election on Sunday was marred by large-scale clashes between protesters and security forces that led to the death of eight people and injuries to more than 100 security personnel, among others. That the prestigious seat, from where Jammu and Kashmir's former chief minister Farooq Abdullah was contesting, recorded an abysmally low voter turnout of 6.5 per cent is an index of the fear psychosis that the anti-national elements were able to create. Past elections in recent years in Jammu and Kashmir had shown that people at large were in tune with democracy in the State despite all the efforts of militants to alienate the State government from them. Sunday’s violence and low voter turnout is by no means a reflection of the change of heart of the people but of the climate of fear that the militants were able to generate. Reacting to reports of violence, National Conference leader and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said, “People want to go and vote but the environment is such that people are not stepping out.” Stone-pelting by youth which the Pakistanis have been openly instigating was rampant.

For the Modi government at the Centre, it is a Hobson’s choice. It is clear to Central leaders that the Mehbooba Mufti government has failed to contain terror, to govern the State well and to spur development. But if this government is brought down the only option would be Central rule and ultimately fresh elections, which the BJP wants to avoid at this stage. Yet, the poor turnout in the byelection is far from comforting because it shows that the hardline groups have succeeded in enforcing a boycott by the voters by hook or by crook. Evidently, there would be repolling in many booths and better security will ensure higher voter turnout but the propaganda value to the militants of the government and the army failing to provide the protection that would have ensured better turnout in the Sunday election would be unfortunately high. At least six polling booths were abandoned by security forces and polling staff due to hostile environment. With another byelection also scheduled for April 12 in Anantnag, the challenge to the State apparatus and the army is to ensure substantially better turnout. But when we are fighting a neighbouring country and welltrained militants, our security forces have to be given a freer hand.

The conduct of elections in recent months has been so smooth that the current round of byelections has in general been a letdown. The signs from the RK Nagar Assembly byelection in Chennai from late J. Jayalalithaa’s erstwhile seat are disturbing indeed. With the Election Commission postponing the election indefinitely in the wake of raids on the State’s health minister and alleged seizure of Rs 89 crore in currency which was meant ostensibly to be distributed as bribes to voters on April 12 by the dominant faction of the AIADMK, the whole scene looks murky. Already, there have been violent clashes between the Sasikala faction led by Chief Minister Palaniswamy and the faction led by former senior minister in Jayalalithaa’s cabinet O. Panneerselvam.

Reports from Madhya Pradesh are also disconcerting. Stone pelting and firing, along with alleged booth capturing, were reported in Ater Assembly seat in Bhind district. If this is the level of violence in byelections, the prospects of incident-free Assembly polls and subsequently the general elections in 2019 do not look good. The Election Commission of India has doubtlessly given a good account of itself in recent years but there are major challenges ahead of it in the next couple of years. Prime Minister Modi has indicated that the government would strive to switch to simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and the State assemblies. If that happens, the challenge for the EC would be even greater. Yet, it would be wrong to assume that the EC is not equal to the task. It has surmounted challenges along the way and would predictably rise to the occasion again as per requirement. Simultaneous elections are worth considering because under the present system, there are elections in some states and for the Lok Sabha year after year. When that occurs, work in the secretariats comes to a grinding halt and thousands of manhours are wasted. Yet, simultaneous polls to the Lok Sabha and to State assemblies are beset with various difficulties which will have to be tackled before any firm decision is taken in the matter. The portents are indeed grim for elections that are peaceful and incident-free, judging by the experience of the byelections. The EC, the State authorities and the security establishment will have to gear up for the challenges ahead in right earnest.