American Elections: We are better off!

[arun]

Chief Election Commissioner of India, Mr.M.S Gill has closely followed the election of President in USA. He has stated that he is surprised at the extent of contradiction between an electronically unified country on the one hand and the crazy quilt- patchwork of US poll laws on the other,
with each of the 50 states having its own rules and laws.

He further states, the US government sends its observers all over the world and comments on their elections. India, he states further, has some useful hints for US poll reforms.
For instance, there is one county in the cliff hanger state of Florida where a dispute has arisen about the recount.The aggrieved lot saying "they will go to court". In the Indian System, the poll supervisory body has the power to order a repoll in the affected section. If this system was in place
in USA then the dispute could have been speedily resolved.

It is just not fair to award all of the Florida's 25 electoral delegates to whoever comes out ahead with 1000 vote margin, out of 5 million votes cast in the state.

The US Presidential contest is so close as to make one feel "its too cruel for whosoever loses." That is all the more reason why the state by state, "winner takes all" (electorla college) system needs to be changed. Replace this with a straight system of counting by popular vote tally, the national winner being the one who gets highest tally.

What is going on in US shows, who takes care of the country as a President etc. is also a matter of debate.

Should we indians not pat our backs for successfully conducting our elections?

[echarcha]

I agree that we have a central Election Commission which oversees elections and that our system is really good. But what I appreciate about the US system is that here they have real democracy to go to the courts if needed and get justice. Currently both candidates are going to court and getting a hand recount.

With this type of a glitch this year in USA, I am sure that by next elections they will improvise the system.

In India we still have to overcome booth capturing and poll fixing and bogus voting.

But nevertheless, T. N. Seshana dn the present M.S. Gill are really great men who have brought a lot of order and discipline to the whole chaotic mess called Indian elections. Earlier we used to have loudspeakers and banners and posters for campaigning. Now all thi shas been reduced and a strict budget for each candiadte has been enforced. These are some of the good things about our system of elections.