Presentation By Rajendra Ratnoo, District Collector Kanyakumari

Democracy and Electoral Process Democracy has to be Effective Electoral System is the backbone of a democratic System Who can or should be allowed to vote Electoral Rolls- when to be prepared & revised and how? Who can contest Election? Political parties and funding Actual Electoral Process

ELECTORAL PROCESS Three components 1. Pre election activities 2. Activities during election 3. Post election activities Role of election machinery in the processes Role of political parties in the processes.

Youth Population vs Electors (Age group 18-39)

Projected Census Population in Age Cohort 18-39

Elector in Age Cohort 18-39

INVOLVEMENT OF YOUTH Reasons for lack involvement of youth in the electoral process Apathetic attitude towards the political system Disenchantment with politics and politician Increasing alienation of the youth in the recent years due to technology and electronic gadgets

…Involvement of Youth Relation of political participation in general and of youth in particular with the issues related to the basic electoral system Who can vote & who can be voted? While youth can vote when they are 18 yrs but can not be voted i.e. cant contest till they are 25 yrs for Lok Sabha and State Assembly Lack of democratic political activities in the colleges/universities Logistical issues Migration of youth for education Problem associated with inclusion of names

Electoral Reforms Electoral Reforms can be divided into two parts- 1. Immediate and urgent arising out of certain laws enacted or the various judgments of Supreme Court and High Courts 2. Those reforms that have been proposed by various commissions and reports and are pending with the central Govt

Additionally the following measures can improve Youth Involvement Special campaign at least one month before the claims and Objections Using Youth as volunteers to register others in electoral rolls Involvement of the Colleges including the teachers and NSS, NCC Social networking sites such as Facebook, Orkut and twitter Special website for Youth by ECI that can have all information pertaining to electoral process.

Use of mass media FM radio Popular TV Channels/programmes News papers Uploading videos on U tube Use of Folk Media Puppet Street play Folk songs Folk theatre

Interpersonal Communication Slogan writing Elocution Painting Competitions, in Schools Colleges

EVM Training To be available in the College Mock polls in the Colleges Media campaign emphasizing that EVMs are tamper proof and also emphasizing that secrecy of Ballot is maintained Involving Students in this campaign

or Voter Attitude & Behaviour?

Voting Behaviour- issues It is much more complex than we understand People may know why one should vote, still they may not vote because of the attitude towards Political Class, Democracy or electoral process for that matter Even if a person has a positive attitude towards the above including the Electoral Process, still he/ she may not vote! Why? Every attitude does not translate into positive / desired behavioural outcome! This is what is called KAP GAP!

Percentage of polling in Tamilnadu from 1960 to 2009

Literacy and Polling Percentage : High Literacy Districts

Literacy and Polling Percentage : Low Literacy Districts

Voter Education for whom? The previous analysis holds true mainly for urban middle classes and upper classes We have to have strong empirical evidence based on research on as to who in the society does not turn out for voting and why? The intervention strategies will be successful when based on sound scientific footing Sometime vulnerability may be the reason for low voter turnover than lack of Education and awareness

Vulnerability and Voting Physical Challenge Old Age Gender Weather Social Disadvantage Social Conflict Remote and far off area and related disadvantage Vulnerability on account of numeric strength coupled with poverty e.g Narikuravars Nomadic Character Out migration

Factors related inaccuracies in the Electoral Rolls Many times it may be the carelessness or at times mischief by Electoral staff responsible for revision of Rolls, and thereby depriving many voters of the right to franchise Many a times voters do not know whether their names are registered or not What is needed? A user friendly website A toll free helpline based on Interactive Voice System System where replies can be obtained by a mobile

Voter Education through Intensive IEC Activities Sustain Voter Education Campaign at National and State Level Professional media agencies to be engaged to make appropriate campaign messages to impart knowledge and even look beyond knowledge aspect to bring about a desired change in the attitude and sustain the campaign till the election day to translate this increased knowledge and changed attitude into a responsible voting behaviour

A word of Caution This campaign should be spearheaded by ECI, at National and State levels Election machinery should mainly see that the Registration is done properly, Electoral rolls are error free and the pre poll preparations are good enough to build confidence of voters in the whole Poll Process - its neutrality and fairness Canvassing for increased turn out for a particular group-youth or women may affect out come of polls! Keeping in view the Lyndoh Committee’s Report

The Constitutional Mandate Article 326 of the Constitution (as after the 61 amendment in March 1989) provides for all those over 18 years of age to vote. The Statement of Objects and Reasons said: ``… The present-day youth are literate and enlightened and the lowering of the voting age would provide to the unrepresented youth of the country an oportunity to give vent to their feelings and help them become a part of the political process. The present day youth are very much politically conscious. It is, therefore, proposed to reduce the voting age from 21 years to 18 years’’.