With the announcement of polling dates by the Election Commission, the electoral process has formally begun in several parts of the country. Assembly elections will be held in Assam and Kerala and in the Union Territory of Puducherry on April 9 in a single phase. Tamil Nadu will vote on April 23, while West Bengal will go to the polls in two phases on April 23 and April 29.

What stands out in the schedule, however, is the unusually long gap between polling and counting in some places. Voters in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry will cast their ballots on April 9 but will have to wait until May 4 to know the outcome.

This means nearly three weeks of suspense before the results are declared. By contrast, in constituencies voting on April 29 in West Bengal, the wait for the results will be barely four days.

Concerns over long gap between polling and counting

Ideally, there should not be such a wide gap between polling and counting. If votes cast on April 29 can be counted and the results declared on May 4, it is difficult to understand why polling in other states could not have been scheduled closer to the counting date.

A shorter interval would reduce speculation, political tension and administrative uncertainty. The situation becomes even more puzzling when one recalls the conduct of the first general elections in independent India. At that time technology was minimal and ballot papers had to be printed separately for each constituency.

Yet nationwide polling could be completed within two or three days and the results announced soon after. Today, with electronic voting machines in place, the waiting period should logically be shorter, not longer.

Questions also arise about the need for multi-phase polling in states like West Bengal when other states are voting in a single phase. Unless there are compelling logistical or security reasons, such variations invite unnecessary debate and suspicion.

Model Code of Conduct and political conduct

Another concern relates to the timing of the election announcement. Once elections are declared, the Model Code of Conduct comes into force, preventing governments from announcing projects or schemes that may influence voters.

Critics allege that the announcement was delayed until the last moment, allowing the ruling establishment to make a series of declarations in poll-bound states.

During this period, leaders, including Narendra Modi, visited these states to inaugurate major projects and even flag off train services—tasks that could easily have been performed by the concerned ministers. Such high-profile appearances inevitably create the impression of an attempt to influence voters.

Political opportunism, of course, is not confined to one party or one state. That is precisely why the Election Commission must act firmly now that the Model Code of Conduct is in force. Any attempt to influence voters through inducements, communal propaganda or other questionable methods must invite swift action.

© Free Press Journal