AN ASSESSMENT OF THE ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS: GOVERNMENT - CITIZEN PARTNERSHIP


SUMMARY VIEW

In the Assembly Elections of October 2004, AGNI worked jointly with the State Election Machinery to ensure a free and fair election process. There are clear indications what this partnership resulted in the smoothest and most citizen friendly elections held in recent times. The voter turnout was seen to be 3.53% higher than in the last Assembly Elections.

As should be the case in a true democracy, the election machinery worked towards satisfying voter needs and alleviating their problems.


Steps taken by AGNI - its role in EletionWatch

•   Information about summary revision of electoral rolls was disseminated in almost all constituencies through posters, leaflets and meetings held by AGNI JAAGS (Joint Area Action Groups).

•   Several local level meetings were organized to spread awareness and mobilize volunteers.

•   Voters' Guides were distributed in three languages.

•   A Citizens' Charter was evolved on issues for MLAs to address. Copies of this were widely distributed at meetings, yatras and events.

•   9 well-attended 'Meet Your Candidate' events were held at Opera House, Malabar Hill, Kherwadi, Santacruz, Vile Parle, Amboli, Andheri, Trombay and Chembur. Most candidates of leading parties attended the events and promised to work for the charter if elected. These events gave citizens an opportunity to ask questions and know their candidates better.

•   AGNI worked with the Association for Democratic Reform as Maharashtra Election Watch (MEW) in Mumbai to analyse the affidavits of candidates disclosing their criminal background (if any), assets, liabilities and educational qualifications. A press conference and press releases on the subject helped give voters an opportunity for a better informed choice.

•   For the first time in the city, AGNI conducted 17 awareness "Yatras" through the streets of Mumbai exhorting people to vote. Street plays and skits highlighting the importance of voting were performed at several places by Nirmala Niketan students and enthusiastic citizens.

•   Arrangements were made to increase voter turnout through media coverage, ward level meetings, distribution of literature and door-to-door visits.

•   A telephone help line functioned at the AGNI office to help citizens with queries and information on polling booths.

•   AGNI has played a role in engaging the media more whole-heartedly in elections, especially as a service to voters and citizens. In the Lok Sabha and Assembly Elections, AGNI was notable for setting this particular ball rolling and providing the media leads and material for follow up, apart from four well attended press conferences and numerous press releases.


Steps taken by the State Electoral Office to help citizens:

•   A special revision of rolls was ordered in June/July 2004, to give those who were not on the rolls an opportunity to register.

•   A system of online registration helped people to register their names from their homes.

•   Post offices were made nodal agencies to receive forms. Postmen were sent to the houses for verification of addresses.

•   Media was used effectively with advertisements appearing repeatedly in all major newspapers giving important information both at the time of revision and closer to voting day.

•   Meetings were held with citizens and NGOs to facilitate the process.

•   Telephone helplines were run by the Collectors' Offices and 34 Electoral Registration Offices to help citizens find their polling booths before and on voting day.

•   Database was provided to AGNI to run a help line.

•   The CEO's website was made user friendly and provided a search option to find names on the electoral rolls and polling booths. It had an unprecedented response from citizens.

•   By and large the staff at all registration places and polling booths was cooperative and citizen friendly.


CONCLUSION

The joint effort of the State Electoral Office and citizens paid off with over 6.5 lakh new voters registering on the rolls and a 3.53% (nearly five lakh more votes) increase in voter turnout in Mumbai than last time. This is significant given that many winning margins were slender, in some cases between 1000 and 2000 votes.

This time there was a greater interest shown by the middle class, higher middle class and intelligentia in the whole election process. There are indications that there was a larger middle-class turnout than in the 1999 elections. Housing societies, resident associations and several citizen groups and NGOs joined hands with AGNI in a new partnership.


RECOMMENDATIONS
•   At the time of summary revision, after citizens fill up forms, it is taken for granted that these will be accepted and will appear in the final rolls. However, many are not aware that a special period is given for checking the draft rolls and ensuring that their details are correctly registered. It is an opportunity to check and make any correction before printing of final rolls. This point needs to be given due publicity.

•   Although acceptance of bulk applications at the time of summary revision makes it convenient for citizens, this facility can be easily misused. Therefore, this facility should be withdrawn.

•   The process of using the "none of the above" facility, in case the citizen does not want to vote for any candidate, needs to be clarified to the citizens and given wide publicity.

•   AGNI and citizen groups need to redouble efforts just before and on voting day.