Hindi English Translation || Editorial || ​Free and fair: On the Election Commission, calls for transparency

​Free and fair: On the Election Commission, calls for transparency

The Election Commission of India must not view calls for transparency (पारदर्शिता) as attempts to undermine (कमजोर) it

The Election Commission of India (ECI) seems to have softened (नरम करना, कम करना) its stand (stance, position, point of view, approach, way of thinking, perspective) about disclosing absolute numbers of booth-wise votes cast (vote, register a vote) in elections. Last year, when the question arose in the midst of (के बीच में) the multi-phase general election, the ECI took the position that it had no legal mandate (आदेश, निर्देश) to disclose (उजागर करना, प्रकट करना) details of Form 17-C, part one, which contains the total number of electors in each booth and those who had actually voted, to anyone other than the candidate or its polling agent (a person who is appointed by the candidate standing for election to oversee conduct of the poll at polling stations). In a recent hearing (सुनवाई, न्यायिक प्रक्रिया), it has said the Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, who took over recently, is open to (उपलब्ध, सुलभ) meeting representatives of organisations and individuals who have sought a direction (निर्देश, आदेश, मार्गदर्शन) to the ECI to upload scanned, authenticated (प्रमाणित, सत्यापित) and legible (readable, easy to read, understandable, clear, printed) copies of Form 17-C on its website. The Supreme Court of India has asked Trinamool Congress Member of Parliament Mahua Moitra and representatives of the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) (it is a non-partisan, non-governmental organization which works in the area of electoral and political reforms) to give a representation (a statement or report) to the ECI and seek a meeting. While it may not mean (मतलब होना, इरादा होना) that the ECI has already agreed to make absolute (पूर्ण, संपूर्ण) numbers of voters universally (सार्वभौमिक रूप से) available, it may result in (परिणाम देना, कारण बनना) evolving (विकसित होना, प्रगति करना) a system of disclosure about turnouts, both in terms of (with regard to, regarding, concerning, in respect of, with reference to) numbers and percentages. In 2024, the ECI did release some details about turnout (participation, attendance. (Voter turnout refers to the number or percentage of eligible voters who cast their ballots)) through its voter turnout app, but it also became a source of endless speculation (assumption, supposition, presumption, expectation, guess, guesswork, opinion/notion) as the percentages given were seen to be unusually higher than what was disclosed at the close of (at the end of something) polling.

The prevalence (occurrence, commonness, extensiveness, widespread presence) of a difference (variation, deviation, contradiction, differentiation, gap) of five to six percentage points between the turnout declared on polling day and subsequently (eventually, later on, thereafter, afterwards, consequently, in the end) revised figures (number), based on inputs from all booths, was noted at the end (eventually, finally). This is normally explained as the result of (because of, due to, thanks to, on account of, owing to) a delay in collation (an act of comparing, analyzing, weighing against (two or more sources of information)) of data from all booths, including those located in far-flung (distant, far away, remote) areas. However, the petitioners (litigator, litigant, appellant, complainant, claimant, plaintiff) before the Court argue that Form 17-C is collected by available booth agents by hand (manually, by a person), and it would not be a major problem for election officials (officer, office-holder, functionary, bureaucrat, mandarin) to scan and upload it within 48 hours. The main grouse of political parties and activists (a person who supports a political change or cause; (or societal change/cause)) is that the discrepancies (contradiction, difference, variance, variation, deviation, dissimilarity, disagreement, paradox, incongruity), in the absence of (without someone or something) the absolute number of votes cast but with only turnout percentages in hand (available, ready (for use if required)), would raise suspicions (misgiving, doubt/qualm, scepticism) about the whole process when the final results are released. The ECI has done well to offer to (to say that you are willing/ready to do something for someone or give something to someone) meet the petitioners on this question. There can be no dogmatic (insistent, adamant, uncompromising, rigid, inflexible, narrow-minded) opposition (resistance, objection, criticism, defiance, protest, discontent, disapproval, disagreement) to a procedural (official, formal, systematic, methodical, organized) step to reduce the apprehension (mistrust, distrust, qualm, doubt, suspicion, lack of faith, worry, scepticism, misgiving) about any election being less than fair. It is futile to hold (have) the position (stance, attitude, point of view, way of thinking, thought, perspective) that every step demanding greater transparency in the electoral process is aimed at undermining its integrity (righteousness, uprightness, morality, probity, honesty, fairness) or casting the process in a bad light (in a method that makes someone or something to look bad; so as to give bad impression). There ought to (must, should) be a constant reassessment (review, re-examination, rethink, re-evaluation, reappraisal, reconsideration) of existing procedures and practices to increase transparency and reduce the time taken to do so.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.transparency (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पारदर्शिता
English Meaning - clearness, clarity, straightforwardness, openness, honesty, unambiguity.

2.undermine (verb)

Hindi Meaning - कमजोर
English Meaning - weaken, subvert, sabotage, damage.

3.soften (verb)

Hindi Meaning - नरम करना, कम करना
English Meaning - ease, lessen, make less severe.

4.disclose (verb)

Hindi Meaning - उजागर करना, प्रकट करना
English Meaning - reveal, release, unveil, communicate, publish, make public.

5.absolute (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - पूर्ण, संपूर्ण
English Meaning - complete, total, entire, perfect.

6.in the midst of (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - के बीच में
English Meaning - in the middle of.

7.mandate (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आदेश, निर्देश
English Meaning - instruction, directive, direction, order, law, statute, ruling.

8.hearing (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सुनवाई, न्यायिक प्रक्रिया
English Meaning - lawsuit, proceedings, inquiry, legal proceedings, legal action.

9.open to (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - उपलब्ध, सुलभ
English Meaning - available, accessible, on offer.

10.authenticated (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - प्रमाणित, सत्यापित
English Meaning - validated, verified, certified, sealed, attested.

11.mean (verb)

Hindi Meaning - मतलब होना, इरादा होना
English Meaning - intend to be the case.

12.direction (noun)

Hindi Meaning - निर्देश, आदेश, मार्गदर्शन
English Meaning - instruction, order, guidance, suggestion.

13.universally (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - सार्वभौमिक रूप से
English Meaning - always, commonly, generally, invariably.

14.result in (verb)

Hindi Meaning - परिणाम देना, कारण बनना
English Meaning - cause, lead to, bring about, give rise to.

15.evolve (verb)

Hindi Meaning - विकसित होना, प्रगति करना
English Meaning - develop, progress, advance gradually.

16.call (for) (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - require, demand, ask for, need, necessitate, entail.

17.call (for) (noun)

English Meaning - appeal, request, plea, demand, reason, need, requirement.

18.soften one’s stance (phrase)

English Meaning - to become less strict; to become flexible (in one’s position/ideas).

19.stand (noun)

English Meaning - stance, position, point of view, approach, way of thinking, perspective.

20.cast (verb)

English Meaning - vote, register a vote.

21.Form 17C (noun)

English Meaning - it contains the account of votes recorded at each polling station.

22.polling agent (noun)

English Meaning - a person who is appointed by the candidate standing for election to oversee conduct of the poll at polling stations.

23.take over (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - assume control of, take charge of, be elevated to.

24.sought past tense of seek (verb)

English Meaning - request, ask for, call on, apply for.

25.legible (adjective)

English Meaning - readable, easy to read, understandable, clear, printed.

26.Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) (noun)

English Meaning - it is a non-partisan, non-governmental organization which works in the area of electoral and political reforms.

27.representation (noun)

English Meaning - a statement or report.

28.turnout (noun)

English Meaning - participation, attendance. (Voter turnout refers to the number or percentage of eligible voters who cast their ballots).

29.in terms of (phrase)

English Meaning - with regard to, regarding, concerning, in respect of, with reference to.

30.speculation (noun)

English Meaning - assumption, supposition, presumption, expectation, guess, guesswork, opinion/notion.

31.at the close of (phrase)

English Meaning - at the end of something.

32.prevalence (noun)

English Meaning - occurrence, commonness, extensiveness, widespread presence.

33.difference (noun)

English Meaning - variation, deviation, contradiction, differentiation, gap.

34.subsequently (adverb)

English Meaning - eventually, later on, thereafter, afterwards, consequently, in the end.

35.figure (noun)

English Meaning - number.

36.at the end (phrase)

English Meaning - eventually, finally.

37.as the result of (phrase)

English Meaning - because of, due to, thanks to, on account of, owing to.

38.collation (noun)

English Meaning - an act of comparing, analyzing, weighing against (two or more sources of information).

39.far-flung (adjective)

English Meaning - distant, far away, remote.

40.petitioner (noun)

English Meaning - litigator, litigant, appellant, complainant, claimant, plaintiff.

41.by hand (phrase)

English Meaning - manually, by a person.

42.official (noun)

English Meaning - officer, office-holder, functionary, bureaucrat, mandarin.

43.activist (noun)

English Meaning - a person who supports a political change or cause; (or societal change/cause).

44.discrepancy (noun)

English Meaning - contradiction, difference, variance, variation, deviation, dissimilarity, disagreement, paradox, incongruity.

45.in the absence of (phrase)

English Meaning - without someone or something.

46.in hand (phrase)

English Meaning - available, ready (for use if required).

47.suspicion (noun)

English Meaning - misgiving, doubt/qualm, scepticism.

48.offer to (verb)

English Meaning - to say that you are willing/ready to do something for someone or give something to someone.

49.dogmatic (adjective)

English Meaning - insistent, adamant, uncompromising, rigid, inflexible, narrow-minded.

50.opposition (noun)

English Meaning - resistance, objection, criticism, defiance, protest, discontent, disapproval, disagreement.

51.procedural (adjective)

English Meaning - official, formal, systematic, methodical, organized.

52.apprehension (noun)

English Meaning - mistrust, distrust, qualm, doubt, suspicion, lack of faith, worry, scepticism, misgiving.

53.futile (adjective)

English Meaning - pointless, useless, valueless.

54.hold (verb)

English Meaning - have.

55.position (noun)

English Meaning - stance, attitude, point of view, way of thinking, thought, perspective.

56.integrity (noun)

English Meaning - righteousness, uprightness, morality, probity, honesty, fairness.

57.cast/show in a bad light (phrase)

English Meaning - to make someone appear to be a bad/negative person.

58.in a bad light (phrase)

English Meaning - in a method that makes someone or something to look bad; so as to give bad impression.

59.ought to (modal verb)

English Meaning - must, should.

60.reassessment (noun)

English Meaning - review, re-examination, rethink, re-evaluation, reappraisal, reconsideration.