Elections where ??

After arriving here in Chennai a week ago, i was pleasantly surprised, it was difficult to imagine that an election was in process. There were no graffiti, no posters, no huge cut-outs and no blaring loud speakers.
Of course, i had read about it in the news on the web, that the election commission is getting tough and has clamped down on all these 'nakras'. But i still figured that the political system will figure a way out. Fortunately the EC has prevailed. They have managed to tie down the political parties to the guidelines and figured a way to enforce it.

I have expressed my opinion about the EC. The Election Commission, to the best of my knowledge, has no comparable organization in any other democracy. Its birth and existence in India, is also a testimony of the corrupt political system we support. Slowly but steadily, starting if i am not mistaken, with T.N. Sheshan, they have asserted their presence, and with active support from the Supreme Court, have managed to curb the prowess of the political system. The system still has its ways, because EC only governs the process of election. But recently the suspension of few politicians who were tainted, the Jaya Bachan issue etc., are all indications that they are not going to stop with the electoral process, but with the governance of all elected officials.

Thanks to them, the city of Chennai is sporting a clean look. Albeit, the election and vote gathering process has lost a bit of sheen. But only slightly tho'. The candidates and political parties have managed to draw attention through ingenious ways and also are now forced more than ever before to walk the streets and attempt a door to door campaign. The people who will benefit from this process, are cadre based parties, like CPM, BJP, DMK etc., and will force others to strengthen their party structure, allowing more fresh blood to be infused into them.

And so.... i dream.....