BY-ELECTION FOR THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IS UNDERWAY

BY-ELECTION FOR THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IS UNDERWAY

21-APRIL-ENG 3

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA--------------------------A by-election for the Legislative Council is currently underway in the Bhojpur–Buxar Local Authorities constituency. A distinctive feature of this election is that it is not the general public, but rather only elected public representatives, who cast their votes. Consequently, the electorate is limited in number, and it is this restricted group that elects the member of the Legislative Council.

The current reality is that questions have begun to be raised regarding the fairness and transparency of such elections. It is a matter of common discourse that very few individuals cast their votes without the expectation of some personal benefit; this renders the electoral process both expensive and susceptible to undue influence.

In this context, a suggestion has been put forward: just as in the Graduates' Constituency—where any graduate, regardless of when they obtained their degree, can register their name in the voter list and cast a vote—a similar reform should be implemented within this system as well. Due to the larger number of voters in the Graduates' elections, the electoral process tends to be relatively less expensive and more transparent.

Similarly, in the Local Authorities constituency, instead of restricting the right to vote solely to current public representatives, this franchise should be extended to include former representatives and other eligible individuals as well. This would broaden the scope of the electorate, render the election process more transparent, and help curb unnecessary expenditure.