Army for proxy8217; war during poll battle

PUNE, January 19: The defence forces have finally broken their fifty-year long silence over their non-entity status in the general elections...

PUNE, January 19: The defence forces have finally broken their fifty-year long silence over their non-entity status in the general elections of the world8217;s biggest democracy.

Lt General H M Khanna, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Command has magnanimously supported the proposal of voting by proxy8217; for defence personnel.

Speaking to The Indian Express Lt Gen Khanna said, 8220;voting is the constitutional right of every Indian and armed forces form a conspicuous part of country8217;s populace which cannot be ignored.8221;

He said, 8220;most of the armed forces personnel are unable to exercise this right either due to service induced geographical restraints or procedural hassles. Hence the proposal of voting by proxy is a welcome step which will facilitate the armed forces to participate and voice their opinion in country8217;s general elections.8221;

Ruling out the likelihood of misuse of voting by proxy, Lt Gen Khanna said that 8220;once the proposal is accepted, a fool proof system can be devised to eliminate the loopholes, if any in casting of vote by proxy.8221;

The Army Commander8217;s utterance has gained more significance since it has come at a time when on one side Bharatiya Janata Party is painting an impressive picture of defence vote8217; in its favour with its leader L K Advani declaring the party8217;s open support for the voting by proxy while on the other hand the general opinion for participation in the election is gaining ground in defence circles.

In December the Election Commission had sought an ordinance to assist over 20 lakh armed forces personnel and diplomatic representatives to cast their votes by authorising their wives, sons, daughters, fathers or mothers to vote by proxy for them. EC had also underlined the non-effectiveness of postal ballot for ensuring full participation of service voters8217; in the elections calling for amendment in the Representation of People Act and Indian Penal Code to facilitate voting by proxy.

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It may be recalled that all the political parties in 1990 had unanimously accepted the similar recommendations made by Dinesh Goswami report which had looked into this aspect. But ever since the issue has continued to remain in the state of suspended animation with neither the EC nor the political parties pressing for its enforcement through electoral reforms.

While EC8217;s move has once again revived the national debate over the issue, it has also opened up a pandora8217;s box of various correlated issues attached with postal ballot system, highlighting its gross failure in involving a decisive vote bank in the electoral process.

According to the official sources in Army Postal Service Corps, in Southern Command, which is the biggest Command in the armed forces having eight states and three union territories under its jurisdiction, only 23,000 serving personnel of all three forces taken together exercised their franchise by postal ballot8217; in the last Lok Sabha elections.