Sri Vijaya Puram, May 14: Rakeshwar Lall has urged the Andaman and Nicobar Administration to introduce an open voting system in elections for Municipal Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and Adhyaksha and Vice-Adhyaksha posts of Zilla Parishads across the islands.
In a letter addressed to the Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Member of Parliament Bishnu Pada Ray, the Chief Secretary, Deputy Commissioner of South Andaman and Assistant Secretary of the AR Wing, Lall sought reforms in the existing voting process for indirect local body elections.
The representation stated that transparent and accountable governance remains essential for strengthening democratic institutions and maintaining public confidence in local governance systems.
According to the letter, several local body elections conducted in recent years allegedly witnessed concerns related to cross-voting, political bargaining and misuse of money power during indirect elections held through secret ballots.
The letter stated that such developments weaken public trust and create doubts regarding the integrity of democratic processes. It further argued that voters elect representatives based on ideological commitments and public expectations, but secret voting in indirect elections can sometimes produce outcomes that do not reflect the public mandate.
As part of the demand, Hindu Rashtra Shakti proposed the introduction of an open voting system for leadership elections in municipal bodies and Zilla Parishads. The representation argued that since these positions are elected by already elected representatives and not directly by the public, the voting process should involve greater transparency and accountability.
The letter further stated that elected representatives should remain publicly accountable for their voting decisions before the people who elected them.
According to the representation, implementation of an open voting mechanism could also help prevent unethical political practices, hidden negotiations and undue external influence during elections to leadership posts in local self-governance institutions.
The letter claimed that such a system would discourage corruption, strengthen political discipline and ensure stability within local governance bodies functioning across the islands.
It was further stated that Municipal bodies and Zilla Parishads play a direct role in public welfare and implementation of development-related works including sanitation, drinking water supply, roads, rural development, education and execution of government schemes.
The representation also highlighted that leadership selection processes in these institutions should remain transparent, fair and free from controversy due to their importance in local administration and developmental activities.
Another point raised in the letter was that political instability arising from indirect elections often affects governance and delays development work. The proposed reform, according to the representation, could strengthen democratic ethics and reduce unnecessary political uncertainty in local bodies.
The letter concluded with an appeal to the Administration to consider necessary measures for introducing an open voting system in Municipal Chairperson and Zilla Parishad leadership elections in the interest of transparency, accountability and democratic governance.
