Finally after almost of 2 months of poll preparedness, the elections in the largest democracy in the world, India, is now complete. The electorate, long considered susceptible to the power of money, liquor, power and influence, has once again shown that they are not. From the times of the first elections in the new India, in 1951, the job of conducting free and fair elections, has seen some tremendous improvements. No one today, questions the authenticity of the results, save a few disturbed and desperate losers from the elections.

Conducting the elections in a country of this size is no easy job, and this in turn has resulted in a protracted election period, climaxing with a 12-24 hour counting cycle. The Election Commission of India, holds the onerous job of managing and staging the entire exercise. Once considered the extension office the party that ruled the government, today is an Independent body, that is only answerable to the Constitution of India. The first act of reform was undertaken by a courageous officer TN Seshan in the early 80s, after which there was no looking back for the Commissioners office. It has been accused on and off, favouring one party or the other, usually the ruling party, but in general this office has acquired the respectability usually only accorded to the Supreme Courts in India.

The next major innovation introduced by the Election Commission was the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), which would have been considered an impossible task, considering the length and breadth of the country, and the level of literacy amongst voters. Initially it was met with a lot of resistance, but the commission pushed the agenda ahead and today, every single assembly and lok sabha elections are conducted using the EVM. The benefits are clearly visible in a fast turn around of voting and also providing the commission with more tools to ensure a free and fair elections.

The results are out. The status quo, doesnt not mean that the current government will be provided a free rein for the next five years. It should bring a new thinking that this power, comes with a responsibility. The election commission can only conduct elections, the governance has to be delivered by the elected party and its officials. Lets hope that, like the commission, the government of India also, one day performs in a similar manner and remains answerable only to the Constitution of India.

Jai Hind

According to me the first step in solving the crisis that is affecting Sri Lanka today is - dissolving the LTTE, surrender and arrest of its leaders.

LTTE was muddying up the waters, and causing problems for all parties involved in arriving at a solution to the problems of the tamil population. The tamil being an ethinic minority had been subjugated by the sinhala majority, since winning independence from the british in 1948. The Sri Lankan population has close connections with India. The tamils were labourers taken by the british to work on the plantations in the erstwhile Ceylon. The brits have always showcased their ability to disrupt life as they see it. They have consistently exploited the local differences, highlighted or fabricated issues in their colonies to hold on to power. And when they left, they simply packed their bags and left, leaving behind all the problems they created. The tamil problem was one such malevolent gifts to the state of SriLanka.

The sinhalese majority started by isolating and then later abusing the tamil minority. It was but natural for the tamils to start fighting for their rights. Groups like LTTE, ERPLF. TULF, and many more quickly spurted all over the tamil majority areas. But unlike the others the LTTE, and its leader Prabhakaran had an agenda to control the full tamil eelam all by himself. Like most armed uprising, the leaders soon hallucinate about ruling the state they are fighting for, and do not believe in diluting power or in democratic norms. It simple and straightforward, armies do not, can not and must not operate in a democratic fashion. Armies operate under military rule. People leading armed struggles, quickly think they are a general, and the band of people who are sacrificing their lives for this struggle are soldiers and believe that democratic rule later will only result in their importance being diminished.

With this change in behaviour, LTTE soon changed from a force fighting for the tamil cause, to a force fighting the tamil. This also meant they had to hold on to power, and fight the SriLankan army, neighbouring states, their own people, or anyone who would come in the way. This was the main reason for the LTTE to fight the Indian Army and go after the Indian Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi. And because of that one reason alone, the LTTE as a force and organization must be eradicated. Because today they are coming in the way, of India helping the tamil cause.

As soon as LTTE is extinguished, SriLanka must be forced to re-introduce the federal structure that was negotiated earlier. The tamil population and states must then participate in democratic elections within the SriLankan constitution. If for some reason, SriLanka decides against this, thinking the defeat of LTTE means the defeat of the tamils, they are wrong. And more importantly, India must step into prove them wrong.

For the past few months, i have been closely watching the progress of the civil war in Sri Lanka. I was drawing immense pleasure from the fact that the LTTE, the terror organization that has been leading the battle against the Sri Lankan government, was being routed from bastion and being reduced to smaller and smaller territory to control. And Prabakaran the leader of LTTE has been running and running. I have been waiting with bated breath for his arrest, death or his suicide. Cynical, but such is the hatred for this man and his organization, which has hijacked the agenda in Sri Lanka. What should have been an organization to safeguard tamil interests had quitely become a massive terror organization, involved in drugs, arms and all other means of raising cash and money for the sake of one man.

I have known of the LTTE and the struggle and sufferings of the tamils in Sri Lanka from the time i started my college. The colleges used to close for about a week as token of sympathy for the tamils, within a month after the summer break. For us kids, it was more fun time to enjoy. But yet, with all that fun, in our minds we used to sympathize with the tamils and LTTE. The LTTE was encouraged and even possibly supported by the Indian Government and TamilNadu state governments. Support for LTTE and a few other tamil leaders and groups were part of the sympathy to the general sufferings of the tamil. All that changed with Rajiv Gandhi, his efforts to maintain peace, his fight with the LTTE and finally his assasination in 1991. LTTE was soon a cursed organization and its leader was a wanted man in India and elsewhere. But we had to wait almost another 20 years before he could be hounded like this.

Today, the party that governs TamilNadu, DMK has called for a general strike in sympathy of the sufferings of the tamil people in Sri Lanka. The sad part is, that today, i hold on such feelings in my heart or mind any more. I am sorry that they have to suffer. It is unfortunate, and hopefully it will be soon over, with the capture and death of Prabhakaran and his LTTE. Because till that is done, i dont see how the Indian government can or should help. Once the LTTE is finished, i think the Indian government must step in again like Rajiv Gandhi did and ensure the Sri Lankan government does not go back to the old days.