Goa has stepped into poll mode. Election dates are yet to be announced but political alignments are already breaking and others are taking shape, MLAs have resigned their seats and from their parties to join other political outfits, and the Election Commission of India (ECI) has gone ahead and issued directions to the Chief Electoral Office (CEO) to standby to remove all political advertisements displayed in public spaces, government properties and private lands, once election dates are announced. This is an indication that the dates could be announced anytime now, within a week’s time most likely, which will lead to heightened political activity in the State.
While political parties and aspiring candidates are already working overtime, the poll process too has begun. The CEO has been demonstrating the VVPAT system in constituencies, a new innovation this election, which will allow voters to verify that their vote, cast when they pressed the button on the electronic voting machine against the name and symbol of the candidate, has indeed been registered for the candidate of their choice. The CEO is also identifying possible poll ambassadors for the State, persons of integrity who will work along with the election team, to encourage voters to exercise their franchise.
One has to be apolitical to qualify as a poll ambassador and so after a ‘SVEEP’ (systematic voters’ education and electoral participation programme) the Goa Chief Election Office has proposed names of three persons who have a ‘non-political background’ as State and Youth Icons who will motivate the people to go out and vote. The selection has not been finalised, this is just a proposal and could change, but the names proposed are of Padma Shri awardee Suresh Amonkar, tiatrist Antonio Rosario Fernandes (Roseferns) as ‘State Icons’ and singer Sonia Shirsat as ‘Youth Icon’. So this election, along with the politicians, there could be an educationist, tiatrist and fadista playing a role in the 2017 elections, but theirs would not be political.
Their job is cutout. The aim is to get the largest possible turnout with a target of 90 percent, after Goa’s 81.73 percent voting in the March 2012 elections, the target for 2017 appears achievable. But records are not everything. The effort should also be made to ensure that the elections are as free and as fair as possible, as in a democratic process it will bring to power a government for the next five years that should be acceptable to all and have no stain of poll malpractices attached to it.
Once the announcement of the elections dates is made by the Election Commission of India in Delhi, the model code of conduct will come into force and the government will be restrained from making any announcements or approving any policies that could influence voters. The teams of the Election Commission are set to get into the act to stop any malpractices, and remove all political hoardings, check on use of official vehicle by political party, candidate for campaigning. It has also restricted advertisements in print or electronic media, showing the achievements of government.
While much is expected from the ECI and CEO in ensuring that there is a level playing field, and it is their job to ensure that any advantages that the party in power may try to take are curbed, what is important is for the people to resist inducements in exchange for votes. It’s a challenge for the government election team to keep the poll process fair, and for the voters to ensure that only the best candidates are elected. While the government aims to make Goa a model state for the country, the voters can aim to make Goa a model state in free and fair elections.
