Durgesh Tripathi
After the DDC elections, there is hope that fresh polls for the Legislative Assembly would be conducted soon in a transparent and peaceful environment
The Indian Parliament took a historic decision through the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts. These Acts gave the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) a constitutional status in India. According to the Annual Report (2019-20) of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, there are more than 2.76 lakh panchayats in the country spearheading the cause of democracy. The number of women representatives elected to these institutions is a whopping 13.79 lakh. It is the largest number of elected women representatives in the world.
Both the amendment Acts provide reservation for women to make them an important stakeholder in the process of decision-making at the ground level. The PRIs and ULBs are doing significant work across the country. The ongoing pandemic has shown that these are effective institutions, especially for the delivery of public services till the last mile.
Similar bodies, called the District Development Councils (DDCs), have been functioning in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). The recent DDC elections signalled the resumption of democratic processes in the newly-formed Union Territory (UT).
The DDCs are contributing to the strengthening of grassroots democracy in the region. These institutions are working towards the cherished ideals of the Constitution. J&K has been under the scanner of various countries and international organisations since the abrogation of Article 370 and 35-A of the Constitution. But the DDC elections were a testimony to the commitment of the nation to the peace, prosperity and progress of J&K. It also reflects the eagerness of the Central Government to involve and engage the people of J&K in the decision-making process. The Union Government is ready to pass the baton to the people of the UT so that they can provide a direction to the development process.
The Central Government's decision to appoint former Union Minister Manoj Sinha as its representative in the UT is owing to his ability to reach out to people and address their genuine grievances. His long political career and administrative acumen came in handy to restart political activities in J&K.
Even the political parties which were the stakeholders in the election process vouch for the credibility of the DDC polls. These political parties belong to a spectrum of ideologies, from the BJP to the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration. Despite security concerns, all the political parties were provided a fair chance to campaign, interact and engage with their voter base. Although, the Gupkar Alliance won big and bagged 110 out of the total 280 seats, the BJP remained the single-largest party with 75 seats. This was contrary to all expectations. The elections saw a 51 per cent voter turnout which was overwhelming considering the harsh weather conditions in the UT at this time of the year, juxtaposed with the pandemic scare as well. It showed that the citizens were also willing and enthusiastic about participating in the electoral process. Such a high voter turnout also helped to break the stereotypes associated with the various political actors involved.
While the world worried about the human rights and basic civil liberties of the people of J&K, India took the constitutional way of returning democracy to the people who have suffered long enough for a multitude of reasons. Many scholars and independent observers have vouched for the credibility of these polls and compared them to the 1977 elections when the ruling Janata Party lost all but two seats of Eidgah and Handwara to Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah's National Conference.
Irrespective of the electoral scores and the bickering that is taking place now with charges of horse-trading flying thick and fast among various parties, the successful conduct of the elections and the results are a victory of the rule of law and deep democratic roots of the country. The polls buried questions regarding the restoration of democratic institutions and processes.
The security forces along with the administrative mechanism need to be lauded for conducting the democratic exercise in the most transparent manner in such a tense atmosphere. The rise in the number of Independent candidates showcases the open-mindedness of the voters and the start of a new trend in the politics of the UT. A whopping 50 seats were garnered by Independent candidates in the elections. Conducting free and fair polls in J&K under the shadow of terror is a humongous task. Even a tiny mistake could have cast a black shadow over the whole exercise.
A part of the credit for this crucial exercise should be given to the present Lieutenant-Governor of J&K. This political initiative is an integral part of the three-point agenda set by him when he assumed the position. The agenda focuses on prosperity in the region, industrialisation, employment creation and eradication of anti-India activities.
These elections indicate a fresh hope in politics which will go a long way in building a sense of trust and faith between the people and the authorities. These elections settled the apprehensions and doubts in the minds of those who believed that the political system would remain in suspension perpetually. It also broadened the scope for smaller parties to participate in the polls, as parties like the BSP — which have a relatively limited base — also managed to win one seat. Smaller parties like Apni Party won 12 seats whereas the CPI (M) also bagged five. The participation and the voter turnout also nullified the narrative created by separatist forces in J&K.
It is said that “well begun is half done.” After the DDC elections there is hope that fresh polls for the Legislative Assembly would be conducted soon in a transparent and peaceful environment. Such polls would be a chance for all stakeholders in the political system to showcase their resilience and restore complete normalcy in J&K. It was an administratively sound decision to first test the waters in the UT by conducting the DDC elections and then go for more large-scale elections for the Legislative Assembly.
Peace and normalcy are a prerequisite for development anywhere in the world. The peaceful conduct of elections will also encourage investors from India and abroad to view J&K from a fresh perspective and could open newer growth prospects.
Martin Luther King Jr. once said: “Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.” I believe that polls are one such means to chase the cherished goal of peace in J&K and these recent elections will certainly show the way forward.
(The writer is founding faculty member of University School of Mass Communication, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi. The views expressed are personal.)
