Long before Anna, MP had a poll reform crusader

BHOPAL: Much before social activist Anna Hazare set his agenda to fight for electoral reforms, a lone crusader in Madhya Pradesh contested the 2008 Assembly elections as an independent candidate with a single-point manifesto: 'total right to franchise'.

Dhananjay Singh Chouhan contested for the Bhopal West seat with an aim to create awareness on the need for massive electoral reforms, claiming that his humble effort would gradually set in motion a process of referendum on the existing electoral system.

In his poll manifesto titled 'Poorna Matadhikar' or total right to franchise, he focused on the people's right to reject all candidates in the fray, claiming that the right to vote was incomplete without 'right to recall' and 'right to reject'.

The suggestions put forth by Chouhan in his manifesto included introduction of 'reject all' button in separate colour on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). In the event of majority voters in any constituency exercising this option, all candidates in the fray must be debarred from contesting for six years and fresh election must be held in that constituency after one year, the manifesto said. It also suggested that if voters exercised the 'reject all' option for the second time in the same constituency, the seat must be left vacant for the remaining term of respective House.

"Why should the people elect a lesser evil from among those in the fray? They must have the right to select the best candidate or reject all in the fray if found unsuitable," Chouhan told TOI, adding, "When I contested the polls, I knew that my demands would go unnoticed in the cacophony of electioneering. But I was sure that very soon the issue of poll reforms would gain momentum as a people's campaign."

"I got only 800-odd votes, but finished fifth among 19 candidates in the fray," he said, claiming that he contested the polls knowing well that he could not win, because he considered that elections were the best platform to raise issues pertaining to the people in a parliamentary democracy.

"Gatherings at Jantar Mantar, Ramlila grounds or elsewhere cannot become substitute for Parliament where law-makers, elected by the people, frame laws. Electoral reforms are the key to elect right people," Chouhan said, adding, "I am happy that poll reforms as an agenda is now drawing national attention."

In 2008, Chouhan had also launched a website on 'Poorna Matadhikar', but he could sustain it only for one year due to lack of financial support and back-up from any high profile civil society activists.