FREE AND FAIR ELECTION (P.8)

FREE AND FAIR ELECTION

A free and fair election where a voter is free to cast vote according to his or her wish without any intimidation, harassment, inducement or coercion. In free and fair election a voter is free to vote according to the dictates of his conscience.

Features of Free and Fair Election

The following features are the steps a government should take to ensure a free and fair election:

(i)         Disqualification from voting of certain persons such as lunatics, criminals, bankrupts etc.

(ii)        Secret balloting

(iii)       Absence of intimidation of voters

(iv)       An independent Electoral Commission should conduct the elections

(v)        All voters should be registered

(vi)       The electoral registers must be available for use on the day of voting

(vii)      Public counting of votes supervised by returning officers

(viii)     Announcement of results of elections immediately after public counting of ballot papers.

(ix)       Results must be capable of being challenged in courts.

(x)        Ballot boxes must be secured from being dumped with ballot papers by party faithful.

Advantages of Free And Fair Election

Elections should be free and fair because of the following reasons and advantages:

(i)         Free and fair election creates sentiment of popular consent and participation in public affairs. The people feel they have been consulted, and have indicated their wishes, in the broad field of national policy, and are therefore willing to accept the legitimacy of the power exercised by those put into positions of authority by the electoral system.

(ii)        Free and fair election made it possible for one government to succeed another in an orderly manner, without violence or bloodshed.

(iii)       Free and fair election emphasizes the responsibility of the people. Politicians dare not become too out of touch with public opinion, since they know that will lead to disaster for them at the next free election.