Hafta letters: Questioning the ECI and Anand’s ‘institutional deference’

Eveleen

A bit disturbed by Anand’s use of the word ‘dramatic’ to describe how disenfranchised people have responded to the investigative report on the CEC (Chief Election Commissioner). I would like to bring your attention to the mediation of any social or political process by algorithms. It depoliticises a disenfranchising process and makes it look like a technical issue, even though the ECI has, by default, become the basis for defining citizenship. Perhaps that is why the response of disenfranchised and displaced people (if you go by Reporters’ Collective) appears dramatic. The CEC is hiding behind an algorithm, and they are promising some amount of transparency. But can more surveillance be the solution to surveillance when the demand is for accountability and justice? These questions may “appear” dramatic in the face of an algorithm assembled by people. But when the violence is systemic, repetitive and based on systematic exclusion, voicing these questions should be obvious?

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Srinath

I’d love to see an episode in the spirit of NPR’s Throughline that takes a step back from the current news cycle and examines, historically and institutionally, how the Modi government has altered India’s electoral democracy over the past 12 years – from electoral bonds and political-financing rules, to the appointment of Election Commissioners, to the recent Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

I’d also love a more sceptical examination of the Election Commission. At times, Anand’s institutional deference seems to me to border on apologism, even when serious questions about its conduct and independence deserve scrutiny. An informed citizenry (especially future voters) is the only backstop to the deterioration in our electoral process. “People should not be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people.”

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Prashant

Hi! I see that the NL Hafta podcast has videos, but I can’t find the link to the full video in the app. Where can I find it? 

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