Election 2009: Know Thy Candidates
Posted : April 11, 2009 at 4:19 am [IST]
I am confused and so must be many. I don’t know anything about the candidates, even those of major national political parties of any of the constituencies where I have spent my years of life. I will like to know about the constituencies that cover my village, my maternal village, my wife’s village, Birlapur where I spent my school days, Presidency College where I saw Ashoke Sen and Dr. BC Roy seeking votes, IIT- Kharagpur, Hind Motors where I lived for almost 36 years, Salt Lake and Noida where I am living now and have invested in having houses.
Every candidate is providing the affidavit about his educational qualifications, details of assets, involvement in criminal cases, and perhaps some more. Newspapers are publishing some information from the affidavits of some odd VIP candidates. I and perhaps many would have liked to get the information in a simple table form based on the affidavits submitted by the candidates about the education, occupation, assets, and pending criminal cases for the candidates who are contesting in the area where we live. It would make the task of comparing and choosing a better candidate a little easier. Can’t it be prepared by the Election Commission itself for the information of the electorates? If not, why can’t EC outsource the task to a private party? Can I request all the newspapers to do that for educating the voters of the area? Can it be made mandatory somehow to publish the same in all the newspapers in circulation in the areas?
For example, Noida Plus and other NCR inserts of Times of India and Hindustan Times can do that for the benefits of the voters of Noida. As the informations are from affidavits, no one can have objection, as it comes under right of information.
But if EC and media don’t agree to do that, can’t some NGOs or social service agencies volunteer to do that? Should not all the voters have this information in hand and will it not help in deciding the right candidate a little better?
Let me confess that I have not done detail research on the subject, and the information that I am seeking, may be available somewhere on some sites or in newspapers.
I request everyone to get me enlightened about the source of information and I shall be obliged for the same.
- Indra
Category: Indian politics |
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