The declining quality of election campaigns

Karnataka elections are over. The end of campaign with a lot of smoke and heat finally gave way to celebration on one side and disappointment on the other. Elections to other state assemblies are approaching fast. Beyond that, the 2024 general elections are also waiting. It is the intervals like that offer an opportunity to assess whether elections are strengthening or weakening our democracy. There is a lot of truth well known to people in the remarks by Karnataka's outgoing minister that in case of a hung assembly they know how to seize power and cobble together a cabinet. The tactics of acquiring power if there is money and acquiring money once they possess power range from poaching elected leaders and resorting to politics to intimidation and inducement. Common citizens have no role in such transactions. Their role is limited to voting.

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Another thing that needs serious consideration is the quality of election campaigns. Those who are supposed to talk about people's problems and proposed solutions are trying to stay away from them. Even the top leaders interact with the people as if they are stars displaying themselves in expensive road shows. In Karnataka, leaders who are supposed to be role models were seen diverting attention from real issues and creating hysteria by bringing up emotional and sectarian matters. As before, even the Prime Minister has been criticized for contributing to the deterioration of the quality of the election campaign. Even as violence spread like wildfire in Manipur for days, the Prime Minister's entire focus was on Karnataka. PM Modi did not feel that the crisis in Manipur was serious enough to convene a special meeting of the Union Cabinet. Those who expected a statement calling for peace from the Prime Minister saw his scathing tweets against Congress' "treason" in Karnataka. He found time to justify the propaganda film 'Kerala Story' and use 'Bajrangbali' as a weapon. This 'model' was followed by many engaged ind of election campaigns.

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Although the decline in the quality of the election campaign did not start now, earlier the supervision of the Election Commission used to be effective. But today, the efficacy of the Election Commission is a distant memory to such an extent that even the Supreme Court had to recall with nostalgia the days when T.N. Seshan was chief election commissioner. It is not uncommon for top leaders to be accused of evading disciplinary action even if they violate the code of conduct. Since the credibility of the commission is the credibility of the very poll exercise, immediate corrective measures need to be initiated. More important, there need to be discussions and decisions on issues like electoral bonds, voting machines, campaign topics and methods, model code of conduct etc. The signal from Karnataka is that the 2024 election campaign is likely to get very dirty. The Election Commission should be able to prevent it.