look news india
Whenever the politics of Bihar is mentioned on the political scene of the country, the entire country’s eyes are fixed on the political equations, strategies of the parties and decisions of the stalwarts. These days, a very interesting and shocking incident has become a topic of discussion in the politics of Bihar, which has created a stir in the political circles. The matter is related to the Legislative Council (MLC) elections to be held in the state i.e. Graduate Constituency. In this great festival of democracy and electoral battle, when everyone is eager to use their franchise, the heirs of the two biggest political families of the state have been completely left out of this important voting process this time. Yes, on one hand Nishant Kumar, son of state Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, will not be able to vote in this election, while on the other hand, leader of the main opposition party and former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav is also out of this voter list. As soon as this situation has come to light, the market for political discussions has become heated and people are desperate to know the legal and educational provisions behind it.
Under the Indian Constitution and the People’s Representation Act, there are some seats in the Legislative Council elections for which special qualifications are mandatory. One of these is ‘Graduate Constituency’, through which the elected representatives raise the voice of the educated intelligentsia of the state in the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council. The biggest and mandatory condition of this constituency is that the person voting should be a graduate from a recognized university i.e. a degree holder and he should have registered himself before the election deadline. Since these prominent political faces of the State, due to their political background and other commitments, do not fulfill the technical conditions regarding educational degrees or registration in this special voter list, they have been deprived of the right to cast their vote in these elections this time under the graduate quota. Whether general or special, the law applies equally to all administrative rules, and this incident is the biggest living example of this.
In any democratic system, when people from families associated with the top leadership of the country or state are not able to be a part of any election process due to some technical or educational reasons, then the opposition parties get a big issue to sit on. Since this incident came to light, political analysts and leaders of opposition parties have been making various statements. However, political experts also believe that this is not a political boycott or a deliberate decision, but it is purely a matter of legal provisions and educational qualifications of the Election Commission. Any ordinary citizen or political personality can be registered as a voter of a particular quota only if he/she duly fulfills those conditions. Despite this, there is a massive discussion on social media and public forums as to why the young faces of these families, who are considered to be the backbone of the state’s power and opposition, could not themselves become a part of this electoral process.
Education, employment and merit have always been very sensitive and big issues in the politics of Bihar. At a time when the youth of the state are emphasizing on degrees and skills for their future and employment, such incidents point out how much paper and academic formalities matter within the ambit of law. Under the voter verification campaign run by the Election Commission, every eligible citizen is given an opportunity to register his name in the list on the basis of his eligibility. This entire incident has once again underlined the fact that in a democracy, following constitutional rules is of paramount importance, rising above VVIP culture or political influence. Be it the family of the ruling party or the opposition, the election rules are equally effective for everyone. Whatever may be the results of these elections in the coming days, this discussion of veterans staying out of voting will continue to resonate in the political atmosphere of Bihar for a long time.