New Delhi, Feb 6: The election fever of yesteryears is missing in Delhi, thanks to the prying eyes of the Election Commission which is monitoring the election expenses of candidates through a battery of government officials.There is no cavalcade of cars, lorries, mobikes et al along with noisy supporters of candidates wending their ways through lanes and byelanes of the city, frequently disrupting traffic.
Even the deafening blare of mikes in residential areas, usually associated with the elections in earlier years, is not a ubiquitous feature any more, again thanks to the Election Commission.
Banners, buntings and hoardings of individual candidates and political parties have also not come up in large numbers, apparently because the contestants are not willing to risk charges of overspending by the Election Commission.
No wonder, the candidates have taken to canvassing without any fanfare. Delhi's BJP candidate from Chandni Chowk Vijay Chowk, for example, drove through Jama Masjid lanes on Fridayalmost all by himself in what could be described as "silent canvassing". When asked why Goel had taken to a low key campaign, one of his campaign managers said: "We do not want to make it a showy affair and unnecessarily attract the attention of the election commission."
What is true of Goel is true of all other candidates, parties notwithstanding. They are concentrating on individual canvassing in their respective constituencies with the help of party supporters. They are deliberately avoiding making it a big show for obvious reasons.
The Congress party's New Delhi candidate R.K.Dhawan was spotted visiting door to door in the Khan market area the other day, begging for support. So was his BJP challenger Jagmohan.
A number of South Delhi colonies appear to have so far missed the election fever altogether. "The BJP seems to be ahead but no one has seen its candidate Sushma Swaraj in the new year", said a Munirka DDA resident rather indifferently. It was a similar experience in neighbouring colonies,judging by off the cuff reactions of people at random.
With hardly nine days left for the polling day in the Capital, most old timers would agree there has been a sea change in the situation. Maybe the voters have become equally nonchalant, fed up of the politics of convenience by most political parties.
On the contrary, there is "action" in the party headquarters, specially the BJP headquarters on Ashoka Road or, to an extent, 24 Akbar Road , the central office of the All India Congress Committee.
The BJP office has acquired the trappings of a high security zone amid unending stream of visitors and supporters of the party. Anybody who is somebody in the party makes sure he is seen in the circles. Naturally so, with the party riding high in the run up to the elections.Congress headquarters has come alive because of the Sonia factor. Though not much of local campaign was in evidence as yet, 24 Akbar Road and the adjacent 10 Janpath, residence of Sonia Gandhi, were the centre of attention amongpartymen.
Meanwhile, UNI adds that poll preparations are on in full swing for the seven Lok sabha constituencies in the capital even while the campaigning has been on a low key in most areas.
All seven constituencies will go to the polls on February 16 in the first phase of polling for the 12th Lok sabha. "A drastic reduction in the number of candidates due to an increase in the security deposit and restrictions imposed by the model code of conduct have ensured that the campaigning this time is very smooth,'' Chief electoral officer O P Kelkar told UNI. While the 1996 Lok Sabha polls saw a total of 523 candidates plunging into the fray, the number this time has come down to 132.
The chief electoral officer said he had received no complaint of any major violation of the code of conduct. Any minor complaints were being dealt with by the returning officers. As per the Election Commission directive, the returning officers in all seven constituencies had been provided with a video team each and these wererecording the major poll meetings and processions in their area every day to monitor adherence to the code of conduct, he added.
Kelkar said a total of 9,104 polling booths will be set up to enable the 83,13,857 voters to exercise their franchise. The polling booths will be staffed by about 60,000 poll officers and the returning officers were presently imparting a one-day training to the field staff in various formalities like handling ballot papers, sealing ballot boxes and filling out forms and declarations.
With the counting of votes slated to begin only on march two, all steps will taken to guard the ballot boxes in the intervening period. Round-the-clock security will be provided at the 15 counting centres where the ballot boxes will be shifted after the voting, the chief electoral officer added.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
