Errata

This is in regard to the last post I made on this blog regarding the section 49-O. As it turns out, there is no such act in the constitution,and it is a recommendation in the Conduct of Election Rules 1961. For all of you who are actually interested in the whole story, it can be found here. Check out under article 49-O on this page. Also, check out the comments on my last post, which has got some details related to this too. 

P.S-Mehul, thanks for bringing it to light. I myself found about it a little later, and was actually planning to put up the real story, but still.

P.S again- Lesson learnt. Never post anything without going into the details of it!

A Startling Discovery

"We were worried because the 'men' came through boat. We should rather be more worried for the men who come through our vote."

This is a line am quoting from the mail one of my friends sent me just yesterday. And the major portion of this post is also from that mail, which talks about an important yet comfortably invisible clause from our Constitution. 

As per a 1969 amendment in our Constitution, a section called '49 O' gives the right to a person to go to the polling booth during elections, confirm his identity, get his finger marked and convey to the presiding officer that he doesn't want to vote for any candidate!

The most obvious question one would then ask is, why should I take so much pain in going to the polling booth if am not going to vote for anyone in the first place? Well, that's the beauty of the act.  Suppose if a candidate wins, say by 123 votes, and that particular ward has received "49-O" votes more than 123, then that polling will be cancelled and will have to be re-polled. Not only that, but the candidature of the contestants will be removed and they cannot contest the re-polling, since people had already expressed their decision on them. This means that if people decide unanimously that the candidate is not even fit for standing in the election, then they can act accordingly and further see that he doesn't even get to recontest on the same seat in the same election. 

This fantastic revelation immediately poses a question. Why is the public not intimated about this act from the Election Commission, when it is clear that such an act needs to be known to everyone in order to see that the right candidate gets chosen? Is it somekind of a trick that the politicans have played upon us, so that we do not ever get to know that there is another option at our disposal?

After the recent terror attacks on Mumbai, the Common Man has become quite vocal about everything, and we have been hearing many instances where the people do not shy away from expressing their angst at the politicians. My point is, isn't this section 49-O a better alternative than the cries of 'We won't vote at all' that we have been hearing from the masses? 

On another front, there has been reports that the Pakistani media has started accusing India of blaming Pakistan for the terror attack falsingly. But if seen objectively, and looking at the evidences, it is quite clear that the terrorists had definite links with Karachi. Then on what base is the Pakistan media even debating on this issue? They have gone so far so as to say that this attack is by an Indian agency.

But on the other hand, I went through a few posts by some Pakistan citizens on the terror attack, which can be viewed here. These people also have a point. They say that maybe the attack was staged in a way which would point towards the terrorist group's link with Pakistan, in order to increase the enmity between the two nations. On rational thinking, this can not be ruled out in entirety,when you consider the fact that the evidences that have been gathered from the attack are too damning. I mean, its like they want us to believe its Pakistan.

At this juncture, it's kinda hard to decide on who is actually behind it, with so many arguments pouring in form all corners. The point is, whoever it is, half of their purpose is already served, in having created terror in the nation. I just hope it was the end, and that there's no other half of their motive left, like letting the two nations battle it out in a gruesome war against each other, which might be the real end they want to achieve. Reading the posts of the Pakistani people, one more thing comes to mind, that not all Pakistanis are against India. It's the political situation that's probably making things worse. But the bottomline is, that it is the Indian Man who has suffered. And we need an answer, and fast. It's hightime the politics is set aside, and politicians start turning into real 'leaders'. Signing off on a confused and a hopeful note.

It's Time now...

It's time we shed the cloak of resilience, and unveil our face, that is red with rage, and an urge to get an answer. It's time we come out of our houses and be our own Security. It's time we show the politicians of India that we are not a deaf-mute society. It's time...

Was reading the Times Of India yesterday, when came across yet another article on the Mumbai Terrorist attack. It said that if the total count of all those who were killed in the incident was taken, it crosses the 257 deaths that were reported in the terror attacks on Mumbai local trains in 2006, which makes it the biggest terrorist attack on the country ever. And still, it is a matter of shame and shock to note that our ministers still claim it to be a Choti si baat . I don't think it takes much intellect to comprehend the magnitude of the situation the country is in right now. Bombs have been going off in the length and breadth of the country, and all we have been hearing from our 'leaders' are requests to maintain calm and patience. And everytime a city like Mumbai is under such a situation, they laud the city's 'spirits' of moving on. What the hell...

I second the question that has been doing the rounds everywhere, that why are the NSG commandoes stationed only in Delhi? It is a shocking revelation that after the terrorists acted in Taj Hotel, it took the NSG forces somewhere around nine and half hours to reach the scene! And it is known for a fact that terror attacks get out of hand as time passes, coz the terrorists start to form 'bases' as they get to know the scene better. With due credits to our gallant NSG commandoes and Armymen who put in their heart and soul in saving the lives of our fellow countrymen, this is a question to the unending bureaucracy in our country. Is it so difficult to station the troops at major cities, so that in need of emergency, they can be deployed at the scene faster?

I would also like to ask a question to Mr Raj Thackerey and MNS workers, that where are they now, now that their very own 'Aamchi Mumbai' is trampled under the merciless foot of indiscrimating terrorism? Maybe not enough 'Marathi Manoos' were killed in this attack so as to wake MNS up from their deep slumber. And what is amusingly sad is that even after the attack is over, and now that Mumbai is safer for the moment, the MNS clan is not coming out, not even to wipe the blood and tears off the faces of thousands of people across the city. So much for their calls of doing or dying for their motherland...

The leaders of all parties are facing the wrath of people from all over the country. And few are even pleading us for support as they 'too are only human, a common man just like all of us', as a prominent leader was heard saying. But if they too are common men like us, why is it that they get to come in private 'Government' choppers and fleets of cars to 'sympathise' with us in times like now, but the real heroes of the moment, the National Security Guards are forced to leave the scene in dilapidated BEST buses? Though a very insignificant observation, it needs to be pondered upon.

The main question of the hour, though, is that what needs to be done by us, the Stupid Common Man? A friend of mine, in one of his blogs, raised a very correct point. He said that we always shout at the system for not giving us the security it should. But we always easily overlook the fact that it is us who needs to be aware of our responsibilities too. When we are checked by metal detectors outside malls, we bicker and crib. But when the same mall explodes to tatters, we blame the government. It is our moral responsibility to see that we are helping the system do its work , instead of hindering it. I don't know what the answer to these acts of terrorism would be given by India, but what I do know is that it is high time that we let the system know, that we are watching, and that we are willing to help it in curbing terrorism. And the system must also realise, that it's TIME now...