Prelims: Current events of national importance(ECI, CEC, Article 324, MCC, PVC, etc)
Mains GS Paper II: Appointments to various constitutional posts, powers functions and responsibilities of various constitutional bodies etc
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
- In August 2023 during Assembly elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) voiced its concern over the environmental risks associated with the use of non-biodegradable materials in elections
- ECI has been urging “parties and candidates to avoid the use of plastic/polythene for preparation of election material during an election campaign, since 1999’).
INSIGHTS ON THE ISSUE
Context
Election Commission of India(ECI):
- The Election Commission of India is an autonomous constitutional authority responsible for administering Union and State election processes in India.
- The body administers elections to:
- Lok Sabha
- Rajya Sabha
- State Legislative Assemblies in India
- Offices of the President and Vice President in the country.
- Part XV of the constitution deals with elections, and establishes a commission for these matters.
- Article 324 to 329: deals with powers, function, tenure, eligibility, etc of the commission and the members.
- The commission: It consists of one Chief Election Commissioner and two Election Commissioners.
- The President appoints Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners.
- Tenure: They have a fixed tenure of six years, or up to the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.
- Status: They enjoy the same status and receive salary and perks as available to Judges of the Supreme Court of India.
- The Chief Election Commissioner can be removed from office only through a process of removal similar to that of a Supreme Court judge by Parliament.
- All three members have equal voting rights and all decisions in the commission are taken by the majority,
Article 324:
- The Superintendence, direction and control of elections to be vested in an Election Commission.
Functions of EC:
Why is there a need for a paradigm shift?
● In the 2016 US presidential elections, the emissions by campaign flights by just one of the candidates alone were equivalent to the carbon footprint of 500 Americans for a year.
● Traditional methods of conducting elections, with their reliance on paper-based materials, energy-intensive rallies, loudspeakers, PVC flex banners etc
○ They cause a significant environmental footprint and impact citizens’ health.
○ The magnitude of India’s elections, with crores of voters, and mass political rallies, amplify this impact.
● Research conducted by Willemson and Krips from Estonia (2023)
○ The primary source of carbon emissions during elections is from transportation of voters and logistics to and from the polling booths.
○ The secondary source is from the running of the polling booths.
○ Transitioning to digital voting systems could reduce the carbon footprint by up to 40%.
Challenges to eco friendly methods:
● Implementing environmentally-friendly elections will entail technological, financial and behavioral challenges.
● Electronic and digital voting require robust infrastructure (especially in rural areas) and checks for hacking and fraud.
● Ensuring that all voters have fair access to new technologies and the training of officials.
● Financial challenges include substantial upfront costs for eco-friendly materials and technology
○ It would deter governments that are financially constrained.
● Cultural inertia in valuing a voter’s physical presence at polling booths as sacrosanct is a behavioral challenge.
● Public skepticism towards new approaches and fear of compromises to vote security.
Examples in Kerala, Goa, Sri Lanka, Estonia:
Kerala:
● During the 2019 general election, the Kerala State Election Commission urged political parties to avoid single-use plastic materials while campaigning.
● Kerala High Court imposed a ban on flex and non-biodegradable materials in electioneering.
● Wall graffiti and paper posters emerged as alternatives.
● Government bodies collaborated with the district administration in Thiruvananthapuram to ensure a green election.
● Training sessions were conducted in villages for election workers.
Goa:
● In 2022, the Goa State Biodiversity Board had eco-friendly election booths for the Assembly elections, using biodegradable materials crafted by local traditional artisans.
Sri Lanka:
- In 2019, the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) party launched the world’s first carbon-sensitive environmentally friendly election campaign.
- It measured carbon emissions from vehicles and electricity used during political campaigns
- compensated for the emissions by planting trees in each district through public participation.
- This offset the immediate carbon footprint of the campaign and drew awareness about the importance of forest cover.
Estonia:
- It laid the foundations for digital voting as an online voting alternative.
- It encouraged voter participation.
- Digital voting accompanied by robust security measures is both eco- and electorate-friendly.
Way Forward
- There is a need for eco-friendly elections, which would be a boost to environmental stewardship alongside civic participation.
- Sri Lanka and Estonia have conducted environmentally-conscious elections.
- This green transition must involve all stakeholders such as political parties, Election Commissions, governments, voters, the media and civil society.
- The success of integrating top-level directives with grassroots initiatives to foster a green transition is imperative.
- Political parties must take the lead.
- The journey can begin by enacting legislation mandating eco-friendly electoral practices, with the ECI incorporating them in the Model Code of Conduct.
- Campaigning through digital platforms or door-to-door campaigning (reducing energy-intensive public rallies) and encouraging the use of public transportation for election work.
- Incentivising the replacement of plastic and paper-based materials with sustainable local alternatives for polling booths, such as natural fabrics, recycled paper and compostable plastics, will aid waste management and support local artisans.
- The ECI can push for digital voting even though this necessitates the training and capacity building of officials.
- To ensure equal participation of all voters in the digital electoral process
- The government must educate and support voters and ensure equitable access to digital technology.
- The media’s crucial role can in emphasizing the environmental impact of conventional election methods, turn the spotlight on innovative eco-friendly alternatives.
- Embracing eco-conscious electoral practices can help India set an example for other democracies around the world.
QUESTION FOR PRACTICE
Discuss the role of the Election Commission of India in the light of the evolution of the Model Code of Conduct.(UPSC 2022) (200 WORDS, 10 MARKS)
