Anti-corruption Squad To Achieve Corruption - Free Manipur

Dr. Khomdon Lisam *

Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) :: Pix - TSE

Now the Lok Sabha election for the Inner Manipur Constituency is to be held on 17 April, 2014 . We should remember that the power of the people is stronger than the people in power. A.P.J Abdul Kalam , President of India once said "If you salute your duty, you don't need to salute anybody, But If you pollute your duty, you have to saluate everybody".

On 13 March, 2012 , I have written an article entitled " How can Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) be manipulated ?" ) in four popular English Newspapers in Manipur. After two days, 11 non-Congress political parties organised a state Conference at the Manipur Press Club and I was invited to speak on EVM machine. The not so happy unsuccessful candidates were given opportunity to speak . Many political leaders expressed that their defeat was mainly due to manipulation of EVM machine not due to lack of support from the people. In the end, I suggested that we should demand for use of an EVM machine with paper trail. I said, the heart of democracy is voting. The heart of voting is TRUST that each vote is recorded and counted with accuracy and impartiality. The purpose of an election is not to name the winner, but it is to convince the losers that they lost. (Dr. Dan Wallach, Computer security expert, Rice University ).

Voting is a statutory right under the Representation of People Act 1950 and fundamental rights in India under Article 19(1)(a) to know the antecedent of the candidates contesting for the election. A voter has the right to know whether his / her vote has been recorded and counted . Can a voter in India today know whether his /her vote has been recorded or counted . with accuracy and impartiality If so , where is the proof and where is the accountability ? Does EVMs answer these questions ? I suggested that we should demand for use of EVMs with Voter Verified Paper Ballot (VVPB) which gives a print out record of each vote .This ensures physical evidence and speedy results.

A Voter Verified Paper Ballot (VVPB) provides an auditable way to assure voters that their ballots will be available to be counted. Without VVPB there is no way to independently audit the election results. The political parties have assured to initiate actions with the Election Commission of India and the Government of India. It may be the credit of the 11 Political parties in Manipur that the Government of India, vide notification, dated 14 August 2013, has now amended the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, enabling the Election Commission of India to use Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail system (VVPAT) with the Electronic Voting Machines.The Election Commission of India has decided to use the VVPAT system from the By-election for 51 Noksen Assembly Constituency of Nagaland. So this was a good achievement.

On September 27, 2013, Supreme Court of India pronounced a judgment that citizen's of India have Right to Negative Vote by exercising None of the above(NOTA) option in EVMs and ballot papers. The judgment was passed on a PIL filed by the People's Union for Civil Liberties, an NGO in 2009. Election Commission has implemented this option of "None of the above" voting option in EVM machines w.e.f. five states polls staring from November, 2013.However it does not mean that if 'NOTA' gets highest votes then election will be conducted again, rather even in that case the candidate who got more votes among all will be treated as elected candidate.

Now the question comes – how to ensure a free and fair and corruption free election in Manipur. This is what the young people of Manipur wants. The future of Manipur belongs to the young people. Why do we want corruption-free Election ? One of the important reasons is that we want to vote for the best man. But he is never a candidate. He can not afford the huge expenditure of election. Many good people never vote because he does not like any of the candidates. This is the truth . Truth is not determined by majority vote. That is why the AAM AADMI PARTY comes up to encourage good people to contest election without much money.

During the last 10 days, I have requested the Hon'ble Chief Minister, Manipur through an OPEN LETTER to kindly announce to the people of Manipur through all media channels so that this ensuing Lok Sabha election-2014 in Manipur will be "free and fair" and "free of corruption" and that the State Government will take up all possible actions to root out corruption during election campaigns. But the Hon'ble Chief Minister, Manipur has not yet announced the policy decision . Perhaps , he may be more interested to win this Lok Sabha election by using the traditional method of using money and muscle power . We, the citizen of Manipur have to be very careful and have to prepare ourselves for the worst. The threat of money power and muscle power is real.

Only the Election Commission of India and the Chief Electoral Officer, Manipur are trying their level best to make this Lok Sabha Election corruption-free. On 24 March, 2014, Flying squads of the Election Commission (EC) seized cash amounting to Rs29.75 lakh in an operation against unaccounted money in Chandigarh. The cash was seized from three vehicles after the vehicle owners failed to show any valid proof of the money in their possession. The seized cash was submitted in the store room of police stations and the income tax department was informed about the seizures.

On 30th March, 2014, the Flying Squad of the Election Commission seized two vehicles of Congress candidate for Jammu-Poonch Lok Sabha seat, Madan Lal Sharma at Deoli and Bishnah, one of which was carrying Rs 57,200 worth cash, which was allegedly meant for distribution among the voters. The seized vehicle Rino bearing registration No. 3013 JK02AL was campaigning for the Congress candidate without permission while Scorpio No. 2600 JK02BC was seized with Rs 57,200 cash though the vehicle had permission for campaigning.

Sources said the Election Commission's Flying Squad raided the venue of a Congress meeting at village Deoli in Bishnah tehsil and seized the Scorpio carrying Rs 57,200 cash apart from the Congress pamphlets and stickers. The Squad seized Rino vehicle of the Congress at Bishnah, which was campaigning for the party without permission. The EC's Flying Squad handed over both the vehicles to Bishnah police station, where a FIR under Section 171H RPC has been registered. On 12 April, 2014, in the biggest haul of money meant to be distributed as poll inducements in these elections in Karnataka, the Bellary District Administration had unearthed cash of Rs 9.99 crore, signed cheques worth Rs five crore and Kisan Vikas Patra documents for Rs 4.30 crore from a money-lender Babulal Parshuram Puria alias Chor Babulal.

India's Election Commission has once again done the country proud by cracking the whip against a chief minister who thought she could get away with defying its directive given in the exercise of its repeatedly affirmed Constitutional powers to ensure the conduct of free and fair elections. The vitriolic diatribe against the Commission by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee can only be described as outrageous even when set against the abysmal standards of behaviour of the political class. She didn't stop merely with proclaiming in public her determination to disobey the EC's orders transferring one district magistrate, two additional district magistrates and five district superintendents of police to maintain the sanctity and impartiality in the conduct of the impending election to the Lok Sabha.

She accused the EC of issuing those orders at the behest of the Congress. She went to the extent of declaiming openly that the phasing of elections in the state by the EC was aimed at facilitating rigging with a view to ensuring the victory of Congress candidates. In the issue of the EC's ultimatum to the state administration to carry out its orders by 10 am on April 9, was also an implicit threat that or else, the EC would be forced to countermand the election in the state and even initiate proceedings to derecognise the Trinamool Congress Party. Mamata didi saw the light and meekly climbed down. She wasn't the first chief minister to do so.

The Chief Electoral Officer, Manipur has informed the public that as per section 171B of Indian Penal Code any personal giving or accepting any gratification in cash or in kind during election process with a view to inducing the person to exercise his electoral is punishable with imprisonment upto one year or with fine or with both . Further, as per section 171C Indian Penal Code any person who threatens any candidate or elector or any other person with injury of any kind, is punishable with imprisonment upto one year or with fine or with both. Flying squad have been formed to register cases against both the giver and taker of the bribe and for taking action against those who are engaged in threat and intimidation of electors. He appealed to all the citizens to refrain from taking any bribe and in cases of threat /intimidation of electors then he should inform on 0385-2411194 of the 24x7 of the complaint monitoring cell of the district set up for receiving complains.

In a notice issued to public, the election commission has cautioned people not to carry more than Rs 50,000 in cash without proper documents. "People should have enough proof against the source of funds. They can keep proofs like bank withdrawal slips, ATM withdrawal slips or PAN card as necessary documents," an EC official said. "Expenditure observers are keeping a close watch on the movement of unaccounted money in Manipur. Election commission, meanwhile, has also asked the Central Board of Direct Taxes and the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), both under the Union finance ministry, to keep an eye on the movement of unaccounted cash.

Although the efforts of the Election Commission of India is praise worthy, we have seen open distribution of cash in the last 2012 State Assembly election. There may be many laws for prevention of corruption. But all these laws will remain only on paper unless people act on it. That is we need a mass movement against bribery, alcohol and drugs specially at the time of election. We should participate in establishing local Anticorruption Squad to fight for corruption at any level . The local Anticorruption Squad should search every vehicle passing through their locality and check for movement of heavy cash, alcohol and drugs. The AAM AADMI PARTY'S success in Delhi has led to huge interest in Kejriwal and the party up and down India, where voters seem to be thirsty for change after 10 years of scandal-prone rule and corruption-prone rule by the Congress party-led coalition. We are fighting for the young people and for the future of Manipur .All the young people of Manipur can make a difference to bring about changes in the system . The following suggestions may be placed for consideration of youth leaders, women leaders in Manipur.

1. All the members of local youth clubs , student organizations , Civil Society organizations , women oranisations, Meira Pabees, Sports organizations etc. in Manipur can make a pledge not to give or to take money in cash or in kind and the make the election corruption free and free and fair. They may take an oath that they will work with all honesty, integrity, commitment , dedication , determination and sacrifice to make Manipur corruption free and bring about unity, communal harmony , peace and development . The oath taking may be done in presence of local leaders, parents and guardians .

2. They may form a team of 5-10 people called Anti-Corruptiom Squad to search for movement of heavy cash more than Rs. 50,000 and alcohol and drugs by checking any vehicle including the vehicles used by the local MLA or any VIP entering their locality. The VIPs may be requested to cooperate with the Anti-Corruption Squad for making the Election corruption free. There may be 5-10 Anti-Corruption Squad with 50-100 volunteers in every Polling Booth. If VIP do not cooperate, make a scene and inform the media to cover the episode. Nobody should be allowed to go scot-free without checking If we want the Anti-Corruption Squad to be effective, we may establish 3000 -6000 Anti-corruption Squad for the Inner Manipur Lok Sabha Constituencies with at least 120,000 to 300,000 volunteers or members. Money for medical treatment and marriages may be exempted after verification. The search should cover movement of alcohol and drugs also. If they come across heavy amount of money more than 50,000 , they should immediately call the Flying Squad Phone N. 0385- 2411194 or Anti-corruption Cell of AAM AADMI PARTY Phone no. 8258921761. The Anti-corruption squad may videograph the whole process . There is nothing illegal about it . Our intension is to help the Government, the Election Commission of India and the Police in eradicating corruption at the time of election.

3. All the members of local youth clubs, student organizations , Civil Society organizations , women oranisations, Meira Pabees, Sports oganisartions etcd. in Manipur may allow the Anti-Corruption Squad to continue to work after election to report any corruption cases in Manipur. They can sensitise people about Lokpal, lokayukts , Anti-CorruptionAct -1988 etc and the role of citizens in eradicating Corruption and mobilize people in starting a people's mass movement against corruption in Manipur.