I had the opportunity to meet chairman Shri Rajiv Kumar in New Delhi in December last year, and I must say, I couldn't help but express my astonishment at the immense responsibility he has taken on as the head of the Election Commission of India.
To accept such a role, one must either be mad or incredibly competent! Yet Kumar, a recent finance executive, accepted it.
He has so far managed local elections with huge success and almost zero complaints.
The scale of conducting elections in India, the largest democracy in the world, is mind-boggling. The numbers alone speak volumes about the magnitude of this task. With approximately 875 million potential voters, the electoral agency has been tirelessly working to encourage as many eligible citizens as possible to register. India is expected to hold elections by May this year.
To accommodate the vast number of voters, an estimated 1 million polling stations will be set up, ranging from small rural villages to bustling megacities like Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. The election commission has made substantial investments in electronic voting machines, implementing stringent measures to prevent electoral fraud.
The enormity of the operation becomes even more apparent when we consider the army of 10 million officials, both national and local, who will be employed to ensure a free and fair vote. To put this figure into perspective, it's equivalent to the combined workforce of the US and Chinese militaries, Walmart and McDonald's.
India is divided into 543 geographical constituencies, each represented by a single MP. It's important to note that voters do not directly elect a Prime Minister; rather, he or she is usually the leader of the party or coalition with the most MPs. Additionally, there may be two additional MPs appointed from the Anglo-Indian community if they are not otherwise represented, a nod to India's colonial past.
In 2014 as many as 8,251 candidates vied for seats. This diversity often reflects the divisions in the country's traditional caste system, which has lively political debates centered around addressing historical imbalances.
The number of political parties in India has been rapidly growing, with 464 represented in the 2014 elections. While national politics is typically dominated by giants like PM Modi's BJP and the Congress party led by the Gandhis, both of these political entities form part of larger umbrella coalitions that include numerous smaller parties. At the state level, the influence of dozens more parties cannot be overlooked.
Turnout in the previous elections reached an impressive 66 per cent, with two-thirds of eligible voters participating. This surpasses the voter turnout in many other countries, such as the US, the UK, Indonesia, Kenya and Brazil.
India's elections are known for their extended duration. In 2014, polling was conducted over a span of 36 days, from April 7 to May 12, with the results declared on May 16. The timetable for this year's elections is expected to be announced in early March.
While the country has made progress in terms of gender representation, there is still work to be done. Currently, 12 per cent of the lower house of Parliament is comprised of women, ranking India 153rd globally in terms of female representation.
One of the most significant factors in this year's elections is the estimated 100 million young people who will be eligible to vote for the first time. With approximately 20 million Indians turning 18 each year, political parties are mobilising significant resources to appeal to these voters, recognising their potential to sway the outcome. Social media giants are also investing heavily in efforts to combat "fake news" and identify any attempts to illegitimately influence the election.
All these factors make me realise the immense responsibility shouldered by Kumar. I hope the next the IEBC chairman will take note.
Head of Content, Radio Africa Group