LALIT on Same Day Counting
31.05.2024
LALIT welcomes attempts by the Electoral Commissioner and his Office to make the procedural aspect of the coming general elections more democratic. In particular, we accept the idea of same-day counting.
We do so, not because there was ever any evidence that the transport of ballot boxes and next-day counting was interfered with in the past. On the contrary, special party agents have been, and still are, free to guard the boxes both on the journey centralizing them within a Constituency, and over-night, and throughout the voting and counting process from the minute the ballot paper is torn off its carnet to when it is counted in front of everyone. We accept same-day counting, rather, as a concession to what we believe is totally unwarranted claims of the electoral process being flawed. If everything stays put, ballots in their boxes, with the same agents counting 300 or so ballots on-the-spot, after, say, an hour’s break, it seems easier to ward off these specious claims of “eleksyon trike” and “eleksyon kokin” that have been resorted to by losers, who are also, as if coincidentally, totally ignorant of the way the electoral process is monitored by party agents throughout.
The fact that a region’s voting wishes, in statistical terms, will be clear, is something the people of any region are responsible for and should work to be proud of.
It is LALIT’s view that the main problem with the electoral system, as a whole, democratically speaking, stems from the power of the moneyed classes, which corrupt candidates who will later be nominated, if they are elected, to positions in the Cabinet where they have executive power. The reason they corrupt candidates is so that they can use this “handle” later. It is as simple as that. This means what we should concentrate on, in the short run, is tightening up the electoral expenses incurred, and not impose draconian State control over political parties – forcing them to register and pay firms of accountants, to do the work that party members are responsible for. Democracy means controlling your own party, not asking the State to employ guards to do so.
The second main problem is the communalization of elections via, inter alia, the communal Best Loser System. In the short run, this can be remedied by making the Best Loser mechanism apply to the most under-represented party, not community, while enlarging the National Assembly, introducing 4-seat Constituencies.
Both these problems can also be cushioned by the introduction of a fairly simple “Right of Recall” of all elected members by a formal, argued electoral petition requiring a certain percentage of signatures, and inspected by the Electoral Commission.
As far as electoral procedures, themselves go, LALIT is in favour of the hybrid voting system, whereby electors vote on a machine, that prints out their ballot, which they proofread and put in the ballot box. This means election results will be counted automatically, and if challenged, will have a paper-trail. LALIT was the only party that used to be stubbornly against voting machines. However, these hybrid machines are fail-safe. They can be considered for future elections.
Lalit
29 May 2024
