Next Indian Elections

(2 Sep 1999) English/Nat

Millions of people in India will be able to cast their vote at the touch of a button in the country's September 5th general election.

It is the first time electronic voting machines are being used for a nationwide poll.

Election officials say the machines will help speed the polling and counting process and reduce the risk of vote rigging.

Election personnel gathered in New Delhi for a training session on the Electronic Voting Machine.

On September 5th, (m) millions of people will cast their vote to choose a new government.

There are 6-hundred (m) million voters and election officials say they want to make the process as smooth as possible.

To help speed the polling and counting process, Electronic Voting Machines will be used.

People can cast their votes by pressing the button next to their chosen candidates name.

Once the vote has been cast it is automatically registered in a central computerised system.

The machines were given a trial run in the assembly elections last year, but this is the first time they are being used for a general election.

The machines will be used in 46 constituencies across 17 states including Delhi and are expected to be used by 60 (m) million voters.

Election officials say they will also be able to crack down on vote rigging by using the computerised counting system.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"The machine is one hundred per cent fool proof and the result is very accurate. There are no invalid votes and the counting of votes is very simple. It is very simple. It is faster than even the computer calculations."
SUPER CAPTION: Arun Kumar Mishra, Election official

This is the country's third national election in three years.

It was called after opposition parties failed to agree on a government to replace Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's defeated coalition.

This year there will be (m) millions of first time voters.

But many say they are still unaware of the election process.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"First I have to get myself registered as a voter which nobody actually, well none of my friends know how to get themselves registered because it doesn't come in any newspaper. You're not informed of it. I am 20 now and for the past two years, I have not used my right to vote or utilised that."
SUPER CAPTION: Vox Pop, Student

Some first time voters are put off by the controversy surrounding election candidates.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I don't think I'll vote because everybody is corrupt here. They don't fulfill promises and everything. They make fake promises saying 'we'll do this and that, but I don't think I am going to vote."
SUPER CAPTION: Vox Pop, Student

Others says democratic rights should not be wasted.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Yeah, I think a person should vote at any cost because when you are given the right to vote, I think you should vote, being a democratic government every person has the right to choose their government. So I think some people should save some time from their busy schedule to vote."
SUPER CAPTION: Vox Pop, Student

First time voters have two main prime ministerial candidates to choose from.

The present Indian leader Vajpayee, and Sonia Gandhi, President of the Congress party.

Although Sonia's Italian origin has faced opposition from Indians who say the country's next leader should be Indian, some first time voters are willing to giver her a chance.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
SUPER CAPTION: Vox Pop, Student

Polling will take place in five stages over the next month.

A new parliament must be formed by October 21st 1999.

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