DEMOCRATIC INDIA - IS SO DEMOCRATIC ?



India is said to be the largest democracy in the world. The word 'largest' stands in terms of population. There are 167 countries that follow the path of democracy. India ranks 108th on Electoral Democracy Index 2023. In fact democracy in India is strictly confined to voting in elections at various levels. Earlier it was manual casting of votes and now it is by using electronic voting machines.

The following countries only use EVM for national elections. Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, DR of Congo, Estonia, India, Philippines, UAE and Venezuela. USA use manual casting of votes they use some electronic scan tabulator system for counting of votes. However, despite all so called convenience, as per available information, countries like UK, France, Germany, Australia, Japan, Russia, Sweden, Denmark, New Zealand etc are not using EVMs for national elections. These countries may have their own reasons for rejecting Electronic Voting.

EVM was first used in India in the By-election in North Paravur, Kerala in 1982. Since then whenver it was used there were openions pro and against it. Since many advanced countries are keeping away from EVMs people in India too are reluctant to stick on the voting machines.

Democracy itself is not an affordable socioeconomic theory. In a country like India democracy could not do much in the past over seven decades. Corruption is at its height. No democratic government could prevent it totally.. Women, holding about 50% of the population, is not safe in the country. Great number of women  are raped and killed in the country. No hundred percent prevention is in the vicinity. Huge amount of people are below poverty line. They cannot be expected to be brought out of this state in the near future. We have a very high number of illiterates in India. We have no plan to provide education for them. Despite enough resources unemployment is mounting up in our democratic system. No effective solution is under process. Do we need this democratic system to continue for ever?

K V George 

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