Error-free electoral rolls will be ready by 2016: Nasim Zaidi

Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi talks

In an e-mail interview, Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi talks about his priorities. Excerpts:

What will be your priority as Chief Election Commissioner?
Our aim is to deliver free, fair, peaceful and transparent polls based on authenticated electoral rolls with higher level of participation and inclusiveness of voters. We will also formulate a strategic plan for 5-10 years incorporating measures for institutional strengthening, voter education, leveraging information technology and more efficient election operations.

What are the biggest challenges for conducting elections in India?
Even today there are errors, mismatches, multiple entries and other discrepancies in electoral rolls. Enrolment of all eligible electors is an equally major task. Recently, the Commission had launched the National Voters Purification and Authentic Programme wherein the Aadhar card of a voter is linked to the Electoral Photo Identity Card to screen-out multiple entries on the basis of uniqueness of Aadhar number. So a multiple entry-free electoral rolls will be ready by January 1, 2016.

Another challenge is the abuse of money in elections. More sustained efforts will be made for curbing the trend through enforcement of anti-corruption laws, RTI and stringent disclosure norms as per transparency guidelines issued by EC.

What about the lack of transparency in funding of parties?
The Commission is concerned over the growing influence of ‘black money’ in elections. This menace can be tackled by stringent enforcement of anti-corruption laws, RTI and effective disclosure norms.

Do you think there is a need to put a cap on the money a political party can spend during elections?
Will the candidate disclose the entire amount if there is no cap? In all probability, he will not disclose it as most of it is unaccounted money or money from prohibited sources. Therefore, it is a myth to presume that if there is no cap or cap is further enhanced, the entire election expenditure will come overground. Do you think the amount spent on liquor or vote-buying will ever be disclosed? Currently political parties do not have any ceiling on their election expenditure and party-oriented campaign expenses is not included in candidate’s expenditure. Now coming to expenses incurred by political parties, data shows huge expenditure by parties which have more funds.

Do you think online voting is an idea India should seriously explore? Is the EC already in the process of trying it out?
As of now, internet/online voting can be considered in long term only. For short term, e-postal ballot paper (one way) for NRIs may be implemented once an enactment is made.

Are you amenable to the idea of a national trust under the EC to hold and disburse money donated by corporates to political parties for election purposes?
The idea of National Electoral Trust, which in turn can work on the basis of a formula, agreed mutually by all parties, can be further studied and debated.

Source:: Indian Express