Former Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi has favoured implementation of proportional representation compared to the present ‘first past the post’ (FPTS) voting system. Even neighbouring countries like Nepal and Sri Lanka and Germany are also successfully implementing the proportional representation system.
The former CEC has also supported the ‘one nation one election’, even while listing out the disadvantages. Corruption, money power in elections, communal and caste conflicts such as love jehad and cow slaughter that take place just before elections can be avoided, he said, adding “Constitutional amendment is almost impossible without political consensus. Let there be a debate. If it happens well and good, else we will continue present system.” Mr. Quraishi was addressing a seminar on ‘electoral reforms in India’ conducted by Prajasakthi Sahiti as part of valedictory of Moturu Hanumantha Rao birth centenary celebrations on Thursday.
Explaining the need for proportional representation, Mr. Quraishi said there was no relation between the number of votes polled and seats won. For instance, in Uttar Pradesh, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) secured 20% but did not bag any seats in an election. Had there been the proportional representation, voice of such parties can also be heard, he said. Strongly supporting the use of EVMs, the former CEC said that the EVMs were introduced in 1982 on a pilot basis and has been in use successfully all these years. The machines were not connected to any device. Simple calculator technology was used. “There is no question of hacking the EVMs,” he asserted. Going further, he said that half of the machines were made in Hyderabad and remaining in Bengaluru. Sadly, the opposition to the EVMs was coming from AP and now from Telangana. With regard to the counting of slips in VVPATs, the ECI says only one machine in each constituency would be counted.
‘Waiting for formula’
“The ECI, however, is yet to take a decision as is waiting for a formula from Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) which can ensure 99% satisfaction among voters,” he said.
