Page 206 - Leap of Faith inside pages with cover (1)

Leap of Faith Journey of Indian Elections

An elec on during the Pandemic was a new thing which the country, and held promise of ending soon. The na onal
provided valuable lessons in electoral management. The average posi vity rate in January, 2020 had gone down to 2
role of the Bihar Health Department in coordina ng efforts (two) percent. The poli cal par es were in favour of mely
for COVID management were applauded by the Elec on elec ons, given the efficient and inclusive manner in which
Commission. the Elec on Commission conducted them in Bihar and
other states where bye-elec ons had been held in 2020.
Every year, on an average five to six states/UTs in India go in
for elec ons to their Legisla ve Assemblies. That is how Addi onally, deferment would have involved
Legisla ve Assemblies in 28 states and two UTs complete cons tu onal, legal and poli cal issues. Since no
their cycle of five year tenure. The beginning of 2021 Emergency was in opera on, dura on of the state
heralded a new sense of ac vity. The terms of the legislature could not be extended under Ar cle 172 (1) of
Legisla ve Assemblies in the states of Assam, Kerala, Tamil the Cons tu on. Going ahead with the elec ons on me
Nadu and West Bengal and UT of Puducherry were was, therefore, the only valid choice.
approaching their end between May 24 and June 8, 2021. The elec ons to five states/UT were announced on
It thus became incumbent upon the Elec on Commission February 26, 2021 at a press conference in New Delhi. An
to conduct fresh elec ons in those states/UT. By the turn of aggregate number of 824 Assembly Cons tuencies were
2021, the scourge of the pandemic was at its lowest ebb in bound for polls. Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry were

L to R: Secretary General Umesh Sinha, the then Election Commissioner and present Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra,
the then Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora, and Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar at the launch of IEVP 2020

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