New Delhi: As the country engages in an intense discourse over “One Nation, One Election,” a crucial question echoes through the pages of a newly released political commentary: whatever happened to Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam’s pioneering idea of electronic elections?
The book Vote Ki Chot, penned by veteran journalist Prakash Dubey, delves into India’s evolving electoral landscape and critically examines how the dream of modernizing elections through digital means — once passionately championed by the former President — has faded into obscurity.
Dr. Kalam, celebrated for his futuristic vision, had outlined a roadmap for transforming India into a developed nation by 2020. Among his proposals was a bold and technology-driven idea — implementing e-elections to make the democratic process more efficient, accessible, and transparent. However, nearly 15 years later, the idea remains shelved, ignored by both the political class and institutional gatekeepers.
In a pointed chapter titled “Where Has the Bird Called E-Election Flown?”, Dubey questions the absence of progress on this front. The book suggests that Kalam’s recommendations have been quietly buried — neither adopted by the Election Commission nor seriously discussed by successive governments. “Can the Election Commission be questioned on whether it ever pursued Kalam’s vision seriously?” Dubey asks.
The chapter warns that even if India were to roll out synchronized national and state elections under the One Nation, One Election model, the deep-rooted problems of electoral malpractice, financial opacity, and criminalization would likely persist.
With the 2024 general elections reportedly costing upwards of Rs 1.35 lakh crore, Dubey urges a revisit of APJ Abdul Kalam’s proposal, which he argues could significantly reduce election-related expenditure. Yet, he points out that Kalam himself once doubted whether political parties — or the bureaucratic system — would ever be willing to let such reform take shape.
The book doesn’t shy away from addressing uncomfortable truths. In another section titled “Votes Through Muscle Power”, it explores the influence of criminal networks in the political sphere — from Maharashtra’s underworld to Uttar Pradesh’s mafia-politician nexus. The author recalls an episode from the Congress centenary session in Mumbai, where a rising figure in the city’s crime scene allegedly mingled with top leaders — a moment loaded with irony and ominous foreshadowing.
Citing controversial examples like Ajay Kumar Mishra “Teni” — linked to the Lakhimpur Kheri incident — the book alleges that political patronage often shields problematic individuals, even when past governments had tried to hold them accountable.
On women’s representation, Dubey expresses concern that electoral reforms such as simultaneous polls are being pushed more aggressively than the long-pending Women’s Reservation Bill. He speculates that the latter may not see real implementation before 2029 or even 2034, despite having cleared legislative hurdles.
A reflective chapter titled “Time to Ask Beautiful Questions to a Rusted Mirror” criticizes the selective empowerment of women in politics, calling out the elevation of individuals with dubious records as symbols of progress.
Adding historical depth, the author recounts a lesser-known episode from the freedom movement. When Mahatma Gandhi and Bal Gangadhar Tilak clashed over the Montagu Report, a symbolic gesture — Gandhi placing his cap at Tilak’s feet — shifted the mood and led to consensus. Dubey contrasts this with today’s climate, where personal influence rarely yields such statesmanship.
Published by Pratibha Pratishthan, a unit of Prabhat Prakashan, Vote Ki Chot serves as both a mirror and a magnifying glass — exposing the cracks in India’s democratic framework and reawakening forgotten dreams like Dr. Kalam’s call for digital transformation of elections.
As the nation debates electoral reforms once again, this book offers a timely reminder: true change might require more than synchronized polls — it may need the courage to revisit visionary ideas left behind.
