Pandemic challenges vs. public policy: reflections on the electoral administration in the world's largest democracy

• Authors: Hepzibah Beulah C

Title variants

PL

Pandemiczne wyzwania a polityka publiczna. Refleksje nad administracją wyborczą w największej demokracji świata

Abstracts

PL

Demokratyczne wybory stanowią ogromne wyzwanie dla każdego rządu podczas kryzysu, np. pandemii COVID-19. Szczególnie w kraju takim jak Indie, w którym blisko 18% światowej populacji stanowi zarówno niechętną, jak i chętną do głosowania bazę około 911 mln ludzi w czasie rozprzestrzeniania się koronawirusa zarówno na obszarach miejskich, jak i wiejskich kraju. Pierwsze demokratyczne wybory na dużą skalę podczas pandemii z powodzeniem odbyły się w stanie Bihar w północnych Indiach z udziałem ponad 90 mln wyborców, co samo w sobie było zdumiewającym wyczynem. Model przyjęty przez Koreę Południową cechujący się najwyższą frekwencją dał wgląd władzom indyjskim w przebieg wyborów. Indyjska Komisja Wyborcza, niezależny organ statutowy, któremu powierzono zadanie przeprowadzenia wolnych i uczciwych wyborów, zezwoliła na wirtualny tryb prowadzenia kampanii i zarekomendowała konkretne wytyczne dotyczące głosowania. Zmiany zasad niosą głębokie implikacje dla znacznego ograniczenia zatłoczonych kampanii, co było synonimem indyjskiej demokracji. Administracja wyborcza została przeanalizowana w tym badaniu na tle wielkich zmian w indyjskiej machinie wyborczej. Aspekty, które podejmuje niniejsze badanie, obejmują: (i) zalety i wady działań podejmowanych przez regulatorów; (ii) pozytywne i negatywne reakcje partii politycznych; oraz (iii) zdrowie i bezpieczeństwo wyborców. Badanie kończy się potwierdzeniem danych na temat sukcesu wyborów w Bihar i mądrego wyboru rządu indyjskiego, który wykorzystał okazję, kierując się wskazówkami z Korei Południowej.

EN

Democratic elections pose an immense challenge to any government during an emergency crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic. More so for a country like India, with close to 18% of the world's population comprising an equally daunting and eager voter base of around 911 million in the time of a raging virus, both in the urban and rural areas of the nation. The first democratic large-scale election during the pandemic was successfully held in the state of Bihar in North India with more than 90 million voters, which was an astonishing feat by itself. The model followed by South Korea with the highest voter turnout provided an insight to the Indian authorities on conducting the elections. The Indian Election Commission, an independent statutory body which is entrusted with the task of conducting free and fair elections, allowed for the virtual mode of campaigning, and specific guidelines for polling were recommended. The rule changes have profound implications in significantly reducing crowded campaigns, which was synonymous with Indian democracy. The traditional lens through which the administration of elections was perceived has undergone a paradigm shift during the pandemic. New insights might surface if the electoral administration is reviewed in this study on an argumentative basis against the background of the big steps taken by the Indian election machinery. The aspects on which the research debates include: (i) the pros and cons of the action taken by the regulators; (ii) positive and negative responses from the political parties; and (iii) health and safety of the voters. The study concludes by affirming with data on the success of the Bihar Election and the wise choice of the Indian government in seizing the opportunity by taking the cues from South Korea.

Keywords

EN

Electoral Administration; India; virtual campaign; voter safety; pandemic election

PL

administracja wyborcza; Indie; wirtualna kampania; bezpieczeństwo wyborców; wybory w pandemii

• Publisher: Szkoła Główna Handlowa w Warszawie
• Journal: Studia z Polityki Publicznej
• Year: 2022
• Volume: 9
• Issue: 1(33)
• Pages: 33-53

Dates

published

2022

Contributors

author

Hepzibah Beulah C

• Chennai Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College, Pudupakkam, Indie

• https://orcid.org/0000000171362146

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Identifiers

DOI

10.33119/KSzPP/2022.1.2

Biblioteka Nauki

2054017