By Philip Marwein
“What each Christian denomination does within their four walls with regards to clean elections and clean politics is not known. What all eligible Christians voters in Meghalaya know, like non-Christian voters do, is to sheepishly and obediently exercise their right to franchise on polling days as notified by the ECI.”
Of all the North Eastern states the elections in Mizoram are exceptionally free, fair and just as claimed by many sections in that state and outside including government authorities. This is thanks to Presbyterian Church, the Young Mizo Association and the civil societies. How is this possible ? The answer is simple. Because free, fair and just elections (clean elections) has become a people’s movement. Each voter has vouched to make each election clean because each one has understood his/her sacred democratic right of franchise. This has come about as a result of many factors and it is too long a list to enumerate the factors in this limited space. But the major credit for clean elections in Mizoram is due to the hard and zealous works of the Mizoram Peoples’ Forum (MPF) which comprises several church bodies and civil society groups mainly the YMA. It is indeed their commitment, dedication, unity, co-operation, co-ordination and understanding to ensure clean, fair, just, free and successful elections in Mizoram in the past and they promise to continue to be so even in future as long as the MPF exists.
Specific mention must be made here, that the prime movers and the engine of the bold initiatives for free, fair and just ( clean elections or clean politics) in Mizoram definitely comes from the Presbyterian Church Synod and the Young Mizo Association. The rest of the NGOs and Civil Societies which together constitute the MPF, came in later to form a powerful lobby to ensure smooth preparations, processes, participation and conduct of elections. The fact that each and every election in Mizoram is free, fair, just and clean from all sorts of fear and favours, evil designs and devices, corruption and corrupt practices is because of the ability of the MPF to organise, guard, supervise, monitor and control everything up-to the booth level. Another important aspect that must be prominently highlighted in connection with elections in Mizoram is the fact that all political parties, including Independents, and the MPF have to agree to work together and cooperate to ensure clean, free, fair and just elections by adhering to the rules and provisions laid down by the MPF to be signed by representatives of political parties, Independents (if there are any) and the representatives of MPF. This is called signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The signing of the MoU with all political parties applies not only for the Assembly elections but also for MP, District Council, Aizawl Municipal Corporation, Aizawl Local Council and even Village Council Elections.
It is of utmost importance to highlight some important points contained in the MoU prepared and laid down by the powerful body, the MPF, some of which are taken from ECI strictures. Foremost is that each stakeholder involved in the election should ensure that it is clean, fair and just. Each voter should cast his/her vote willingly, freely and no free transport from candidates or their agents is allowed to reach the polling booth. It askes candidates to strictly adhere to the ceiling of expenditure, no cash, no favours, no gifts in cash or kind to any individual or groups even tea and snacks are not allowed to be served during or after meetings. Flags, posters, banners, badges are strictly regulated and fixed in size and number and places to be displayed. The provisions in the MoU strictly disallow picnics, partying, borrowing or taking foodstuffs from shops during elections lest it leads to corrupt tactics played by candidates.
Once elections are declared by the ECI, parties and candidates are not allowed to hold election processions and rallies. Even public election campaigns and common platforms are held and organised only under the guidance and supervision of the MPF members: even house to house canvassing can be held only with the supervision of members of MPF. Public entertainers are not allowed to campaign during elections. Misuse of social media to spread false propaganda, misinformation, misrepresentation etc., are banned and not permitted by MPF and also punishable by law. Besides, manifestoes, policy and programmes which are false and which cannot be fulfilled are totally banned even by ECI.
On setting up of candidates by political parties the MPF is very strict by putting forward certain stringent conditions. Parties are pointedly asked not to set up people of disrepute, having infamous character and having adverse antecedents, having criminal records, infidelity backgrounds, unstable character, unsound mind, quarrelsome and other antisocial records in society. However, MPF values candidates who are law abiding, righteous, religious, educated and cooperative, with good reputation, blameless, trustworthy, capable and free from corruption.
While it is a fact that the Election Commission of India conducts elections in Mizoram through the State election machinery but the responsibility shouldered by the MPF to ensure clean, free, fair and just elections is indeed praiseworthy. It has made the task of the ECI and the Mizoram state Election machinery very light. Actually, it is the MPF that is running the whole show right from the time of announcement of the election schedules till the time of voting. In fact, the whole election process and electioneering is closely monitored by MPF. Violation by any candidate or his election agent / canvassers of any rule and provision contained in the MoU agreed and signed by the parties involved invites strict action by MPF and unfair practices are declared publicly in the concerned constituency / constituencies wherever the violation or breach has occurred.
Coming to Meghalaya which has about 76 per cent Christian population with several Christian denominations – the majority being Catholics, Presbyterians and the Baptists, so far the Christian churches in Meghalaya have not taken any stance on having clean elections (clean politics) like that of NBCC in Nagaland and Presbyterian Church Synod in Mizoram. Neither did it jointly or otherwise issued any standing written orders, instructions or notifications to that effect to the Christian faithful to follow and practise accordingly. Once in a blue moon a loose entity by the name Khasi-Jaintia Church Leaders Forum (KJCLF) appears on the scene from nowhere appealing to political parties of Meghalaya to rein in their elected legislators (MLAs/MP/MDCs) and ensure probity in public life. Once or twice during the last 50 years this Forum has appealed to the public (voters) of Meghalaya through media to elect legislators that are capable, have integrity are God-fearing etc. But nowhere have they mentioned that corrupt practices should be curbed during elections. That is all from the Christian Churches as a whole here. What each Christian denomination does within their four walls with regards to clean elections and clean politics is not known. What all eligible Christians voters in Meghalaya know, like non-Christian voters do, is to sheepishly and obediently exercise their right to franchise on polling days as notified by the ECI.
On various malpractices, corruption and corrupt practices before and during elections to Parliament, State Assembly and District Councils, Meghalaya is not at all free from these evils, but certainly it is nowhere near the scale of Nagaland. But regarding voting on polling days it has been found that over the years they have been free and to a large extent fair and peaceful. However, the diabolical tactics and corrupt practices indulged in by political parties, candidates, their sponsors, financiers and agents are rampant. Favours, gifts and money are still very attractive to voters in exchange for votes and at times even en-bloc voters are won over by such baits.
Religion still plays a key role even today in the choice of candidates at party levels and while voting. The major reason as to why clean, transparent and accountable governance is absent in the state and also why there is high prevalence of mal-practices and corruption before and during elections is because those leading the Christian churches here are cowards. They are too scared to come out openly and take on the government and its agencies head-on by publicly speaking out and openly condemning corruption, corrupt practices and various other evils. The same thing happens before and during elections. The Christian churches are laid-back and stay in their own comfort zones and just watch the drama from afar. This indifference emboldens the perpetrators of wrongdoings both in times of elections and in governance. The worst worry and fear for well-intentioned people of Meghalaya is to act and pray that the temple of democracy (Legislative Assembly) will never be filled up and dominated by crooks of the politician-bureaucrat-business class nexus. We can very well imagine what the future will hold for the 36 lakh people of the state if such a thing happens.
“On various malpractices,corruption and corrupt practices before and during elections to Parliament, State Assembly and District Councils, Meghalaya is not at all free from these evils, but certainly it is nowhere near the scale of Nagaland.”