Although elections held amidst fear, panic, and insecurity regularize the change of power, the degree of public ownership in them is low. Therefore, the hard work of all stakeholders is indispensable to make the elections healthy, fair, and fearless.
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Elections are an opportunity to update the leadership of the government and the ruling power of every country. Since the roles of the state and the citizen are staged together, elections are considered a national festival in democratic countries. However, elections should not be just a technical process, but should be lively. Only then will the legitimacy of the elections be confirmed and the legitimacy will be strengthened.
For this, elections should be held in a fair and fear-free environment. The process of parties and candidates presenting their agendas to the voters, voters analyzing and comparing their agendas, and voting for the party and candidate of their choice on the designated day should be peaceful. But in elections, its ideal aspect is blurred and unrest and insecurity also arise unexpectedly.
Even though elections held amidst fear, panic, and insecurity regularize the change of power, the level of people's ownership in it is low. Therefore, the hard work of all stakeholders is indispensable to make the elections healthy, fair, and fear-free.
Traditional and new types of security challenges have been felt for this election. The government itself has found a formula to deal with the challenges and deal with them. It has assessed and analyzed everything from the undesirable activities of parties to the risks arising from natural events and causes. Although natural events cannot be avoided, planned and man-made challenges can be defeated. For that, meticulous monitoring and a smart strategy should be adopted.
The main players in elections are the parties and leaders. Already, leaders have started making unsubstantiated but serious allegations. For example, UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli targeted senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Balendra Shah and portrayed him as a person who would ‘burn the country’. Shah also accused him of ‘burning the country on the 24th to hide the terrorism that killed children on the 23rd’. There is concern that such a trend will increase in the coming days. Therefore, they should maintain restraint and prepare themselves for healthy and polite competition.
Of the 4,415 people who escaped from various prisons/detention centers and police custody on 24 Bhadra, 4,415 are still absconding. Among the absconders, more than 600 are foreign prisoners/detainees from India and third countries alone. At that time, 1,342 weapons and about 100,000 rounds of ammunition were looted by security personnel from the fields, barracks and barracks. Of these, 745 were recovered. It is said that some weapons were burnt. Other deadly weapons have not yet been recovered.
Escaped prisoners/freezes and looted weapons are seen as security challenges for the elections. Open borders are also another reason for security challenges. Even if the borders are closed during the elections, there is a risk that anti-election parties and criminal groups can take advantage of the thin presence of the security mechanism. To minimize such challenges, the security agencies need to have a sharp vision and immediate 'action'. The government should provide the necessary resources for the security agencies.
The potential victory or defeat of candidates can also lead to clashes. Illegal and forced fundraising and threats can occur in the elections. The use of illegal weapons and explosives and criminal activities, and chaotic activities under the cover of ethnic, geographical and social communities can occur. The trend of circulating sensitive content created by AI on social media is also increasing. There are many possibilities for misuse of technology.
The security of ballot papers is a sensitive issue not only before the elections, but also after. There have been examples of ballot papers being torn in the past. The active role of the commission and security agencies is necessary to prevent all kinds of unwanted activities. For a fair election, the role of the Election Commission must be strong but impartial. The security agencies must also play their role by prioritizing past contexts and sensitive areas. Political parties, candidates, and social media users must also be sensitive. They must distance themselves from activities that spread terror and confusion.
The Commission, government, political parties, and voters are the main stakeholders for the election. The people have the right to decide what the country's governance system will be, what the system of governance will be, and who will be placed at the helm of the government. Elections are to transfer legitimacy. The background of the Gen-G movement of 23 and 24 Bhadra and the people's aspirations established by the movement have many dimensions.
Everyone has also accepted the voice that the established norms of governance have been disrupted since the constitution. A fair and rigged-free election is indispensable to bring all political elements that have gone out of line. This will determine the party status according to the changing situation. Therefore, if a vibrant election can be held with full compliance with the election code of conduct, the constitution and politics will return to normal, and the chances of addressing the aspirations of the people will also increase.
