Skip to main content

Majority of Gujarat electorate don’t think voting is their right or duty: EC Survey

By Rajiv Shah 
A recent survey, carried out under the auspices of the Election Commission of India’s Gujarat office, has found that, despite a high voter turnout, the electorate are generally indifferent towards the political process. A counterview.org report:
The Knowledge, Attitude, Behaviour, Belief and Practices (KABBP) survey, carried out this year by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Gujarat State, has revealed clear voter indifference in the political process, with only 37.42 per cent of the voters saying that “voting is their right and duty”. The survey was carried out in two phases – first in February 2013 and then in June-August 2013 – as part of the Election Commission of India’s (ECI’s) Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) initiative with the aim to find out how successful have various interventions been “for increased electoral participation in Gujarat”, even as identifying “possible factors and reasons of the (voters’) participation or non-participation in the election process.”
While in the first phase, held in February 2013, as many as 6,388 voters from 104 polling booths located in 26 assembly constituencies in as many districts were interviews, in the second phase, in June-August 2013, about 5,040 voters in 80 polling booths in 21 constituencies of 19 districts were selected. “The sample areas were chosen to represent the rural-urban, general and reserved (scheduled castes and scheduled tribes) constituencies of the state”, the study says, adding, “Special care was taken to ensure that female high and low voter turnout was also represented in the sample.” The survey was commissioned to the postgraduate departments of business management and social work of the Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar, Anand district.
Important “reasons for voting” identified by majority of voters, interestingly, was not their duty and right to vote, but that they “possessed a voter slip” and it was a “good and right thing to do.” Political indifference towards the voting process was also found to be prevalent when majority of those who surveyed – 58 per cent of the respondents – said they “did not feel the need for reforms in the election process”. In the second phase of the survey, 771 voters out of 6,414, or 12 per cent, did not vote, did not vote because they were not there in their constituency, or the timing as at odds with their working hours, or they did not have the electoral photo identity card (EPIC) or their name was missing, or that “because they felt nothing would change.”
The voters identified several difficulties in the democratic process, of which they are a part. Thus, the survey also found that 54.8 per cent of the respondents felt there was an “excessive use of money in the elections, leading to corruption in politics.” Further, as many as 34.96 per cent of the respondents felt that perceived “security threat of any nature during the elections”. The KABBP study found that “greater threat was perceived by urban electors compared to other regions”, but did not give separate figures of the two areas. Nor did it say what type of threats voters in such large numbers perceive. Not without reason, the survey found that 22.51 per cent of the respondents did not agree with the view that “our democratic process is successful or very successful”, to quote from the study.
The voters also identified several problems in the electoral process itself. Thus, as many as 40 per cent of the respondents said it was not easy to get the EPIC. And of these, 15.96 per cent felt that it was difficult to get EPIC because of “long procedure, unfriendly officials, and inaccessibility of the concerned office.” Further, 30 per cent of the electorate did not think that their experience while voting in the 2012 was “good” or “very good.” While large number of respondents (86.8 per cent) said they “did not face any difficulty in voting”, as many as 21.79 per cent of the respondents said that the polling staff was not cooperative. Further, while only “a handful” complained of political coercion, the problems they identified included “long queues at booths, no separate line for senior citizens, lack of drinking water, toilets and ramps at the booths.”
Identifying another problem, the KABBP study says, as many as 69.44 per cent of the respondents “were not aware of the existence of Matdar Sahayata Kendras (MSKs — Voter Facilitation Centres).” It claims, “out of those who were aware of the MSKs 57 per cent had visited the centres and 83 per cent were satisfied with the services of the centres”. Then, majority of the respondents were aware of the existence of a voter list, even then as many as 9.16 per cent were not aware of it. The study adds, “Out of these, a total of 94.82 per cent respondents had their names present in the voter list; 86.84 per cent respondents were aware of minimum age for being on the voters’ list; 34.10 per cent respondents got information related to inclusion of their name in the list through personal sources; and 86.86 per cent reported their names were correctly noted in the voters’ list.”
At the time of voting, significantly, 58.77 per cent voters said the candidate was the “most influencing factor of voting preference.” The study underlined, “Other influences were community or caste leader, spouse, head of family, friends and religious or spiritual leader.” As for voter awareness campaign carried out by the CEO, Gujarat State, 56.8 per cent said they were “aware” that it was launched to “educate voters.” Most of the time they got “educated” about voting through the mass media – newspapers (24.3 per cent), Doordarshan or government TV (16.4 per cent), posters, hoardings and publicity material (17.5 per cent), cable TV (6.19 per cent), All India Radio (5.88 per cent), FM Radio channels (5.55 per cent), and educational institution (5.11 per cent).
The study says, “The baseline KABBP study helped identify gaps in previous voters’ education interventions as well as in obtaining a deeper insight into the psyche of the target audience. It helped in designing and planning of SVEEP activities in a more focused manner. Based on the findings of the baseline study, several interventions to increase voter registration and voter turnout were identified, planned and implemented across the state with district-wise variations based local requirements.” At the same time, the study admits that SVEEP is still a “learning by doing phenomenon, whereby the (Office of the CEO) modified/ added/ deleted in its plans depending on the feedback from the ground level implementation.”

Comments

TRENDING

Abrogation of Art 370: Increasing alienation, relentless repression, simmering conflict

One year after the abrogation by the Central Government of Art. 370 in Kashmir, what is the situation in the Valley. Have the promises of peace, normalcy and development been realised? What is the current status in the Valley? Here is a detailed note by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties , “Jammu & Kashmir: One Year after Abrogation of Art. 370: Increasing Alienation, Relentless Repression, Simmering Conflict”:

Repeated failure to appoint Chief, other commissioners undermining RTI Act

By Anjali Bhardwaj, Amrita Johri* The post of the Chief Information Commissioner of the Central Information Commission (CIC) has fallen vacant with the retirement of Bimal Julka with effect from August 27, 2020. This is the fifth time in the last six years that the Commission has been rendered headless. Four posts of information commissioners are also vacant in the CIC. Currently more than 35,000 appeals and complaints are pending in the commission resulting in citizens having to wait for months, even years for their cases to be disposed, thereby frustrating peoples’ right to know. Since May 2014, not a single commissioner of the CIC has been appointed without citizens having to approach courts. The failure of the government to make timely appointments of commissioners is a flagrant violation of the directions of the Supreme Court. In its February 2019 judgment, the apex court had categorically stated that if the CIC does not have a Chief Information Commissioner or required strength

Panchayat funds defrauded: Roads without potholes a fundamental right but not here

Kirity Roy, Secretary Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM), and National Convenor (PACTI) Programme Against Custodial Torture & Impunity, writes to the chairman, National Human Rights Commission: *** Through this complaint, I want to draw your attention to the plight of the villagers of Nawdapara in the District of North 24 Parganas. The village is situated under the Bagdah Police Station, Bagdah Block and Mama Bhagina Post Office respectively. Nawdapara is a Muslim minority populated village. Indo Bangladesh Border Road (IBBR) passes through the middle of the village. There is a naka checking post of the BSF inside the village and BSF associated with Mama Bhagina Border Out Post, 68 Battalion, ‘B’ Company guard 24 hours in that check post. People have lived in this village since the independence of India. The market is about three to four kilometres away from Nawdapara village. One primary school is situated within the village but the high school is about five to six kilo

Ultimate champion in crisis, arguably best ever skipper: Created history in Aussie cricket

By Harsh Thakor  In the history of cricket few cricketers knit and propelled a cricket team or had such profound influence on the game as Ian Chappell. Ian Chappell was responsible for converting a bunch of talented individuals into a world beating side, giving a dramatic turn to Australian cricket. Few cricketers ever led such a renaissance.

BSF's unconstitutional, whimsical order violates life, livelihood of Dalits, minorities

Kirity Roy, Secretary, Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM), writes to the Chairman, National Human Rights Commission: *** I want to attract your attention towards the illegitimate restrictions on the life and livelihood of the villagers of Paschim Sahebganj village under Dinhata - II Block and Sahebganj police station in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal by the Border Security Force personnel attached with Dharala Border Out Post under 138 Battalion BSF. The population of Paschim Sahebganj village is around 1480, where almost 75 percent of the villagers belong from Hindu Scheduled Caste (Dalit) and 25 percent from minority Muslim backgrounds.The main occupation of the villagers is agriculture. About 260 acres of cultivable land in the village that belongs to the villagers is located outside the border fencing, which is heavily guarded by the Border Security Force (BSF). The BSF regulates the ingress and egress of the villagers to their fields through the fencing gates that a

Largest democracy in world has become weakest at hands of fascist Hindutva forces

Note on “The Nazification of India”, a report released By Justice For All: *** This report, the Nazification of India, compares how Hindutva ideology not only is inspired by Nazis and Fascists of Europe, but their treatment of the Muslim minority closely follows developments that resulted in pushing Jews to the gas chambers. Situation is indeed quite alarming. The report says that the largest democracy in the world has become the weakest at the hands of the fascist Hindutva ideology. India today is ruled not just by a political party the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but its mother organization the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Because the BJP’s government policies are linked to extra-legal enforcement by RSS paramilitary street power, this report has coined the term “The BJP-RSS regime” to reflect their intrinsic links and collaborative relationship. The Nazification of India report marks the anniversary of the Gujarat pogroms of 2002 against Muslims which propelled the BJP-RSS

Varanasi social worker who has devoted her life for the ultra-poor and the marginalized

Passion Vista and its partners profile Founder and Managing Trustee Shruti Nagvanshi as  someone whom women leaders look up to: *** Shruti Nagvanshi, a social worker and human rights activist based in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, has devoted her life to reaching out to the ultra-poor and marginalized communities in India. Born in Dashashwmedh, Varanasi on 2 January 1974, she married Dr Lenin Raghuvanshi on 22 February 1992 and has a son, Kabeer Karunik, a Business management Graduate who is also a national level snooker player.

An approach to lake/pond restoration by Ramveer Tanvar, Pond Man of India

By Monami Bhattacharya*, Mansee Bal Bhargava**  Lakes/ ponds are often referred to as an elixir of life, a living ecosystem that adds incremental value to the larger biota. Across the tropical landscape of the country lakes/ ponds are a common sight. Lakes/ponds have always shaped the life and livelihood of those dwelling in and around it. The dependence of the local population on these natural resources of water is noticeable since time immemorial. However, they are fading fast in both rural and urbanscapes from the popular parlance with the advance of humanity. It has been a popular notion to value land more than the waterscape and hence these nurturers of life are under stress in several areas. In many instances, these once beautiful waterscapes referred as the ‘Eye of the Earth’ are mostly now only dilapidated garbage dump yards emitting foul smell with no sign of a healthy ecosystem.

Urban crisis: Impact of erosion of democratic framework on Indian cities

By IMPRI Team  On 13th February, 2023, IMPRI Impact and Policy Research Institute, New Delhi in collaboration with ActionAid Association India arranged a book launch followed by lecture series under the title “India’s G20 Presidency & the Urban Agenda for the Developing Countries”. The event was held in Indian International Centre (IIC) Annex, New Delhi. The event began with the book inauguration session, under the honorary presence of Mr Sitaram Yechury, former Rajya Sabha member and General Secretary, CPI (M), accompanied by Mr Sandeep Chachra, executive director, ActionAid Association India. Session 1 | Book Launch: ‘Cities in Transition’ by Mr Tikender Singh Panwar The book launched was “Cities in Transition”, written by Mr Tikender Singh Panwar, former Deputy Mayor, Shimla and a Senior Fellow at IMPRI. Beginning with brief remarks on his book, Mr Panwar outlined the basic subject matter and the purpose behind writing the book, which he considers as a by-product of his experien

Why rapid transition to green energy should be people-centric and community-led

Synthesis Report of IPCC AR6 is a warning call: Grounded action needed to ensure social and ecological justice: ActionAid Association note: *** The Synthesis Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Sixth Assessment Report is a warning call for action on the quickly closing opportunity of keeping global warming below 1.5 degrees centigrade. Unless fossil fuels are rapidly retired, the impacts of climate change already faced by vulnerable communities will become difficult to handle. The IPCC report also highlights that we have the renewable energy technology, policy tools, and financial capital required for a just transition; however, “both adaptation and mitigation financing would need to increase many-fold”. The loss and damage caused by heat waves, crop failures, and rising sea levels suffered by majorities of India’s working peoples are already significant and uncompensated. News reports tell us that due to heat, India already loses around 101 billion hours yearly. E