Editorial:
In times when voter engagement across the country, despite the AAP-inspired move towards greater involvement, is more about complaining and less about engaging, the electorate in Sikkim stands apart as citizens who respect and exercise the right to choose bestowed on them by democracy. The high voter turnout might be a small state phenomenon [since other small states also post high voting percentage], but the sign is still healthy and it warms the heart to notice that people can find the patience and sense of responsibility to spend upwards of three hours in a queue, in the sun to be able to exercise their franchise. Elections 2014, although the final analysis was not at hand at the time of going to print, appear all set to equal, if not surpass the 82% voter turnout recorded in 2009. This is good news for Sikkim. There is neither a spike to suggest anger, nor a slump to suggest despondency, but a high, healthy average to prove that the electorate here continues to remain engaged, continues to believe in participatory democracy and continues to have a stake in how the State is governed.
The campaigning was nasty and violent this time. But the fact that the actual polling was completed peacefully, without complaints of intimidation or reports of violence is as much an endorsement of the dispensation in power and the efficacy of the administration as it is proof of the inherent amicable nature of the Sikkimese. Clearly, on voting day, the lay people are gathered in strong numbers and scare away the violence prone. Agreed, some mischief was attempted through rumour mongering, but that is expected in a high-stakes election. As much as such tactics are worrying and unethical, it is also embarrassing that such amateurish cons can get peddled so effectively. But even that did not derail voter participation. And what such a handsome turnout means is that whichever government gets elected to decide policy for the next five years, it will have claim to a genuine majority- a mandate that should be universally respected. How the people have spoken, Sikkim will learn on State Day, 16 May. What one can hope for the post-State Day days is that the party voted to power realises that after the results are out, they become representatives of all the people in Sikkim and the Government is the government for all residents of the State. As for the voters, the rather long month till the results can be used for an interesting exercise to check how their expected representative can be expected to deliver in the next five years. Those candidates who continue to receive the lay people and visitors with the warmth of their pre-poll exuberance can be safely expected to continue delivering for the people; those who greet supporters with locked gates or excuses of health and meetings, well, the voters have a long 5 year wait till they can have better.
But this is not the time for pessimistic thoughts, we have had enough of those, Sikkim has only just completed a grand celebration of democracy and should swell with pride for some time. It has to be complete faith in electoral democracy that draws 103 year olds to arrive at the polling stations on an hot day with chances of hail in the evening and convince even first-time voters to spend the day in queues instead of a picnic. It is heartening to note that democracy is so overwhelmingly received in Sikkim in a country where the magic appears to be losing its appeal.
