An electoral debate

People Like Them

What do you feel about the High Court eviction orders for our jhuggi jhompris?"

"Few of us have ration cards. If you become our MLA, will you ensure that we get them?"

"The sewer lines here were to be laid fifteen years ago, but nothing has been done till date. How will you address this issue?"

"How much money are you spending on your election campaign?"

"There is an attempt to murder charge against you. Would you care to tell us about it?"

"If we vote you into power, what will you do to ease the terrible water scarcity here?"

At this question, someone said in a loud aside, "I hope they don't plan to build fountains like the present worthy MLA has done in Sundarnagri!" Amidst the noise and merriment, there was an underlying element of seriousness as the residents of Seemapuri, one of Delhi's poorest constituencies, debated with election candidates from their area, on issues closest to their hearts.

In a recent electoral debate, the BSP, SP and Loktantrik party candidates not only responded to questions from the public, but also signed affidavits in front of a notary public, stating that if they didn't live up to their promises in one year, they'd resign from their position.

"This is probably the first meeting of its kind in Delhi," said one of the spokespeople of the Centre for Equity Studies, who along with some NGOs, helped Parivartan organise this debate, "this is part of the national campaign for electoral transparency, and our aim is to make politicians accountable to their voters."

The group of NGOs invited candidates from five parties "" BJP, Congress, SP, BSP and Loktantrik, to attend, telling them in advance that they intended to bind them to the promises they made pre-elections, in case they won. Parivartan, which has a good rapport with the people here, ensured that enough locals landed up and asked relevant questions.

When the meeting commenced, each candidate was introduced on stage and his signed affidavit stating his and his dependant's income from fixed and movable assets; criminal record, if any; and educational background, was read out.

"We wanted everyone to just know what the candidate had stated in that document," said the CES people, "and figure out whom to vote for on their informed perception of the candidate's merits." At the end of the meeting, the candidates were also made to promise that if they were elected, they would hold public meetings every three months to understand the ground level problems of the residents.

However, the entire exercise was only partially successful. The two candidates most likely to win, Vir Singh Dhingan, the present incumbent from Congress, and Kamla Sharma of BJP, didn't show up. "While Dhingan refused the invitation saying he was otherwise occupied, Kamla Sharma promised to come, but made a last minute excuse," they said.

Which meant that the candidates who swore on stamp paper to uphold their pre-election promises, were the ones who had fewer chances of getting elected in the first place.

"This is just an example of how our election process can be made meaningful," said the CES people. "If such debates are institutionalised, at least we won't hear empty promises from election candidates and MLAs and MPs will become more accountable."

Another benefit of institutionalising electoral debates would be that major political parties wouldn't be able to back out like they did in this case. And then, maybe, the residents of Seemapuri would get a better water supply, instead of dry fountains from their MLA.