Elections India 2009

Did you become a part of the largest democratic election in the world – the general elections for the 15^th Lok Sabha in India? It is estimated that a whooping 714 million people would exercise their power to vote in this election.

Yes, I did, I did. I voted and I’m elated, delighted, exhilarated, happy, etc etc.

I have a feeling that can’t be described in words.

During my last visit to Lucknow, my home town, I’d registered myself as a voter. I’d got myself photographed, my thumb prints, signatures recorded, etc. In a nutshell I did all that I could to get myself registered as a voter at my home town.

I was carefully seeing all the advertisements and the sentiments on the blogging circle about voting. The Jaagore series: http://www.jaagore.com, and the Time of India initiative: http://www.lead.timesofindia.com, in print, radio and television proved to be very, uhmm, if nothing else than informative. Apart from these there were several other campaigns that also caught the imagination of the tech or rather the net-savvy young and urban Indians. Some of the mentionable few were No Criminals: http://www.nocriminals.org/, Vote Report India: http://votereport.in/.

If all of the above was good and motivating, there came, without warning, the perfect anti-thesis – the print, radio and television ads of political parties. As if this in itself was not enough, there came a flurry of constant nagging phone calls and sms’es exhorting the voters to vote for a particular party or a candidate. This was despite one sending the touted DNC (Do Not Call) registry.

Initially, I was looking forward to voting. But, in between all this overselling, my decision started to vacillate. I was divided and torn whether to cast my vote or to turn chicken and wait for another 5 years (hopefully). And as if by chance I got an alibi, just what I was looking for to not vote – a friends marriage at a distant location almost simultaneous to elections at my home town and then some work at Delhi for me. Such was my schedule that there was no way that I could have made it to Lucknow on 30^th March ’09 to vote. Just what the doctored ordered.

I consider it a really fortunate turn of events that I reached my home town just in time for casting my vote at the Lucknow constituency as a part of the India Elections ’09. I can attribute this to a friend’s marriage. More about the same on Trip to Ranchi –I, II…

This post is all about my exploits as a voter.

When I woke up on 30^th April’09 at my hometown, the first question that my parents put forth was whether I’d like to cast my vote. They said that they’d be leaving pretty soon. So, if I wanted to vote, I’d better freshen up in a jiffy and tag along. I looked at the sun outside and the lazy demon inside me won the day. I refused to vote, citing migraine and was dismissed by parents as a gone case. They left to vote and were back in about 3-4 hours and were brandishing the blue ink-mark on their fingers.

They were short of teasing me, that I’d been a chicken and that at the young age of 27 I didn’t vote and them; soon to be septuagenarian’s managed to cast their vote.

I’ll summarize what happened next. I dragged my lazy ass out. The crux is that I did mange to stand in the long queue and await my turn as a voter. I stood in the sun for greater part of the second half of the day when the mercury was reading above 43 ^C. But, again it was my fault. I could have accompanied my parents and cast my vote when it would have still been morning.

But, nonetheless it was a good experience. I was excited while I was casting my vote.I saw the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for the first time. They were pretty simple. The name of the contestant and the party symbol were there next to a button. All that one was supposed to do was to remember either the name of the contestant or the symbol of the party and press the button next to the one of your choice. The moment a button is pressed a loud sound will emanate from some where close by and the officials will tell you that you’ve successfully cast your vote.

All said and then, I must laud the efforts of the Election Commission of India. The entire thing was very well organized and managed. Kudos to them for completing this gargantuan task with amazing organization.

Lastly, I hope that I was part of the greater good – to vote to bring a difference to Indian Politics. I hope that I and all the informed people who voted have been able to do some good and may we see some change in the otherwise hopeless Indian political landscape in the 15^th Lok Sabha elections. Amen!