A mammoth exercise ends

June 5, 2024

NEW DELHI – The world’s largest democratic extravaganza has concluded. Seven phases spread over six weeks, catering to over 970 million voters, some located in remote regions, the exercise involved about 15 million polling staff, 5.5 million Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) and over 11 lakh polling booths. Even the scorching heat failed to deter enthusiastic voters from fulfilling their national duty as also attending political rallies. There were no reports of fraud, though those who lose will always claim rigging, a global phenomenon. Localized incidents were well handled.

Even trouble spots such as regions affected by Left Wing Extremism, Kashmir and parts of the North East were violence and intimidation free. Security forces, deployed to ensure security, had done their homework. It was known that the ruling dispensation would return, though the margin of victory remained a topic of debate. The government will now have to work to fulfil its electoral promises. Envoys based in Delhi, who were closely monitoring the elections, were all praise. The German envoy, Philipp Ackermann, mentioned he is observing the elections with interest and no matter who wins, “more of India will be seen on the global stage.” The US Ambassador stated, “It’s extraordinary to see the world’s largest democracy execute the biggest election in the world and we’ve seen incredible, vibrant campaigning, we’ve seen parties, we’ve seen rallies, and it’s something, just as a first-time observer, that is very inspiring to see.”

The Netherlands envoy, Alphonsus Stoelinga, mentioned, “I admire the election process. It is also remarkable that Indians will be giving votes through EVMs. In my country, we still use the piece of paper to cast