The EVM controversy

murali772 - 6-SEP-2010

There is worldwide acceptance of the need for a paper trail in conjunction with EVMs. Electronic voting was introduced in many countries. But serious doubts were soon raised about the security, accuracy, reliability and verifiability of electronic elections. In October 2006, the Netherlands banned the use of EVMs. In 2009, the Republic of Ireland declared a moratorium on their use.

Time to look at Proportional representation?

murali772 - 16-MAY-2010

For as long as I can remember, I have opposed proportional representation on the usual grounds: stability, the rights of constituencies to elect their own candidates, etc. But watching the drama surrounding the British elections, I have begun to reconsider my position.

It is clear that in India, first past the post does not produce overall majorities. It is also clear that the relationship the framers of our Constitution envisaged between an MP and his constituents has remained a fantasy.

Moreover, the electoral system is being tampered with all the time. If the major political parties have their way, we will now reserve seats for women, creating sexually segregated ghettoes within our constituency map. This may or may not be a valid amendment but it has not been accompanied by any national debate. Those who support it do so on goody-goody grounds: “Let’s give women a chance, yaar”. Those who oppose it in Parliament do so because they are bigots.

Dare they talk!!!?

murali772 - 29-MAR-2010

The poor turnout in the posh areas of the city and the general voter apathy was cause enough for several politicians to spit fire at Bangalore, and to hint that if people did not turn out to vote they had no right to criticise the ruling class. For the full report in the New Indian Express, click here

The Transport Minister in-charge of Bangalore, R Ashok, scolded people for watching films and going to restaurants instead of voting and called for making voting compulsory.“IT is a shame on part of educated people. I don’t know why these people have no time even to come to polling stations to elect a right candidate" he added.

BBMP Elections - Who could be in the driver’s seat?

psaram42 - 28-MAR-2010

 When there is a low turn out the party in power looses. So BJP may be facing the music. This is the conclusion of the TV News-9 program that had in the days evening live. This was done by “CVOTER” for the TV-9 channel. Mr. Prakash, Narayan swamy of JDS BJP and Cong were in the debate along with two more participants, whose name I could not get. 

Out of 229 seats the magic number to win is 150. The forecast is 

1. BJP 89-91
2. Cong 68-76
3. JDS 14-22
4. Other  17-25 

So is it that Operation Lotus part II will be enacted? 

 The exit polls gave the following result. Politics 

Whats really ahead after BBMP election

vmenon - 26-MAR-2010

dear all,

Its time to start redefining in our own minds, on who is responsible for what after the BBMP elections.

In the vacuum these last few years, MLAs’ filed the space for citizen grieviences.The BBMP engineers started to come directly under them. Task forces were set up to almost run the city. The parstatals (BDA, BWSSB etc) became more a law unto themselves. (The elections themselves will not change the parastals; a governance bill is required for that) .And citizen direct invovelement, even thro a badly run and set up ward committee disappeared (Again a governance reform issue).

First thing, is to realize that a MLA’s job is to provide and monitor the laws and rules of the State. He should have nothing to do with how or where a road is built in a ward.

The councilor is responsible for ward priorities and resource allocations, through direct interaction with citizens or ward committees. He has nothing to do with the engineering aspects or the actual commercial tendering decisions.

Some of them have moral and positional oversight over others, but not direct interference in the others jurisdiction.

The BBMP Elections 2010

psaram42 - 26-MAR-2010

 "Electioneering for the BBMP polls virtually concluded on Thursday late night with the 66.19 lakh Bangalore electorate getting set to vote on Sunday. Technically the candidates had time till Friday 7 am to end their campaign, but with the ban on using the public address system after 10 pm, the candidates had to close shop on Thursday night."  See the TOI article here.  

The campaign has been very vigorous. The door to door campaign has been very good with distribution of election ID of each voter in a house hold. I have got this info from both BJP and the congress. 

Why I will not vote for JD(S) in this election, or ever.

murali772 - 23-MAR-2010

With state JD(S) chief H D Kumaraswamy on Monday brazenly saying that he saw nothing wrong in fielding criminals if they looked like winnable candidates, the comfort that Bangaloreans enjoyed, compared to those living in the cow belt, has evaporated. In an exclusive interaction with TOI ahead of BBMP polls, Kumaraswamy said that his criteria for giving tickets to criminals is simple: he/she should have the support of party workers and people of the area and should be able to win. Obviously a case of political arithmetic trumping morals and scruples. But, is it right to bring criminals into politics? “What’s wrong? It’s a chance for them to reform. If they change, isn’t it an achievement and better for the society?”

Report on 'Suvarna Bengaluru Pranalike'

murali772 - 20-MAR-2010

This was organised by Janaagraha's Jaagte Raho campaign at 6 PM on Friday, the 19th Mar, at the Town Hall, Bengaluru, in the background of the BBMP elections being held on the coming Sunday (28th March,'10)  

On infrastructure
From Mr R V Deshpande of Congress to Ms Shabha Karandlaje to Mr Narayanaswamy of JD(S), all made claims of how they were responsible for building up the infrastructure for the city - from the Hebbal fly-over to the K R Puram cable-stayed fly-over, to the signal-free corridors, etc, etc. Towards the end, when a question raised by a participant as to 'where the pedestrian came into view in all of these', was put to them, suddenly, each made a u-turn and started talking about how they plan to make the city totally pedestrian and cycle friendly.

Well, to symbolise the entire polity's commitment to this changed approach, can a consensus be possibly arrived at to demolish the totally useless National College fly-over, apart from of course dropping the Tagore circle underpass and such useless projects?

On corruption

Padmanabhanagar doomed - rest of Bengaluru too?

murali772 - 20-MAR-2010

The following is the report by Sri N S Mukunda, Convener of Abhyudaya, a federation of RWAs in Padmanabhanagar, on the debate they organised between the BBMP Corporator candidates on 19th March. The prospects for the ward look pathetic. And, like Mr Mukunda has pointed out "I am sure that the expecrience is similar except in the degree of disappointment in other constituencies as well", and offered the possible way out as "like many of our colleaguews have done in this election only jump into the fray and contest and try to win - time we start thinking of far beyond this tokenism".

We from Abhyudya in ward 182 Padmanabhanagar,  had a debate with the candidates of Congress (Sri Murali), JD(S) (Sri Anjanappa). The BJP candidate Sri L Srinivasa, the ex corporator did not turn up, in spite of being invited. The debate took place yesterday evening at 5.30 PM and went on till 7.15 PM.

Electoral Photo Identification Card for BBMP election

nanometer - 15-MAR-2010

Hello All,

I am a new voter and want to vote in upcoming BBMP elections. I dont have a voters ID card yet.

has any one here recently got their Voter ID cards? Can you please guide me on how to get one?

I think this will be ideal time to get one as elections are fast approaching.

Thanks.

Regards,