OMKAR DATTATRAY
Democracy is often hailed as the cornerstone of modern political systems and backbone of a robust nation and system .What exactly fuels this backbone? It is the citizens themselves ,armed with civic and electoral knowledge and a deep understanding of their rights and responsibilities .In a contemporary society it is evident that a vast majority of citizens harbor opinions on their country’s politics and electoral options .While many may hold strong political views ,how many citizens know about the nity -gritty of the electoral process, their rights and responsibilities? Electoral literacy is not merely about understanding how to cast vote ,it is about comprehending the entire electoral process. ,the authorities involved ,and the rights and responsibilities associated with being a citizen .It encompasses knowledge about electoral laws rules and regulations ,and the ability to make informed decisions during elections .This understanding is critical especially in the world’s largest democracy with a population of 140 crore people .Electoral literacy serves as the bedrock of an informed and participatory democracy .In such a vast and diverse nation ,electoral literacy emerges as an indispensible tool for citizens to navigate the intricate landscape of democracy .It equips citizens with the knowledge and understanding necessary to actively participate in the electoral process ,make informed decisions and uphold the democratic ideals of representation and accountability .Electoral literacy encompasses the knowledge and skills required for meaningful participation in the electoral process .It includes understanding political structure ,the voting system and the importance of civic responsibilities .The power of an informed electorate cannot be overstated .A informed electorate plays a crucial role in ensuring the smooth functioning of the democratic system .Equipped with knowledge and understanding ,these citizens can effectively assess their needs ,comprehend the issues that hold the most significance to them ,scrutinize candidates and make informed decisions during elections .A lack of electoral literacy can lead to voter apathy ,poor decision making and manipulation by political parties .If citizens do not understand the electoral process ,they might be swayed by misinformation or personal bias rather than making informed decisions based on candidates policies and records .Since ,India’s first election in 1951 with a voter turnout of 45.7% ,the electorate has witnessed remarkable progress .In 2019 ,voter turnout soared to an unprecedented 67.4% ,marking a significant achievement bolstered by notable gender equality .Several factors have contributed to this milestone ,foremost among them the implementation of SVEEP by ECI in 2009.Serving as a flagship initiative ,SVEEP focuses on voter education ,awareness and literacy enriching the democratic fabric of the nation .Despite these advancements ,concerns linger regarding escalating voter apathy ,particularly among urban and young voters ,prompting the ECI to advocate for a 75% turnout in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha polls .India’s constitution laid an ambitious vision that every adult Indian ,irrespective of gender ,formal education ,socio-economic status or geographic location .would possess the right to vote with each vote holding equal weight .The ECI has admirably transformed this vision into a reality. For a successful and vibrant democracy,there is need for conscious ,alert and aware voters who can choose the right representatives to rule for them. Therefore voter literacy is important and necessary ingredient of a successful democracy and so the voters should be conscious ,alert and aware so that they are in a position to choose the right candidates who will rule according to the aspirations of the people who are the voters .We cannot think of a successful democracy without the voter literacy and so voters literacy is one of the essential requirements of the vibrant and successful democracy .The voters should be literate voters even though they may be uneducated and so voter literacy is the essential feature of the electoral democracy and therefore due stress should be laid on the conscious ,alert and aware voters so that the voters are in a position to elect the right candidates of their choice so that their representatives will govern as per the wishes and aspirations of the voters. Thus for a successful, meaningful and vibrant democracy, we need conscious ,alert, aware and electoral literate voters Therefore required stress should be laid on the voters awareness and literacy so that the voters will choose the right candidates to govern in accordance with the wishes of the voters .Developing the practice of informed and ethical electoral participation is vital to investment in future of democracy .Under its flagship programme ,Systematic Voters Education & Electoral Participation -SVEEP ,the Election Commission of India carries out various interventions for strengthening and enhancing quality electoral participation .Election Commission of India is now rolling out its ambitious project Electoral Literacy Club -ELC for mainstreaming of electoral literacy in schools ,colleges and communities to promote electoral literacy in all age groups of the Indian citizens .In organizations such as government and non-government as well as in corporate ,the ELC has assumed the name of Voter Awareness Forum -VAF and serves the purpose of imparting voter education to all employees within an organization .Voter Awareness Forum -VAF is an informal forum for generating discussions and awareness around electoral process ,on the how ,what and where of registration & voting through the medium of real-time activities .So we can say that our voters should well participate in the election process and take active part in the electoral process .The democracy needs and demands that the voters should be conscious ,aware and alert so that they actively participate in the electoral process .For the active participation in the electoral process ,the voters should posses consciousness ,alertness and awareness so that they take an active part in the elections and choose the representatives of their choice and in this lies the essence of democracy .For making voters aware and conscious, the election commission of India launches various programmes so that voters are made aware and conscious about their right to vote and such programmers also ensure that all eligible voters cast their vote without any fear and favor .So it is necessary that the voter literacy is given top priority so that the electors cast their vote without any bias and undue influence .Thus there should be voter awareness and literacy so that the voters will actively participate in electoral process and choose the representatives of their choice .It is needed most that the voters should be able to differentiate between the good and bad candidates and then make a right choice .To sum up we can conclude that the voter should be conscious ,aware and alert so that the right candidates are elected who rule according to the wishes of the voters.
(The author is a columnist, social and KP activist)