Independent candidates can disturb election equations

Backflash Lok Sabha Elections in Ferozepur – Only one independent candidate won in 1989

Ferozepur, March 30, 2024:

No doubt, the focus during the elections – Assembly and Lok Sabha – is on the main political parties’ candidates but at the same time, the independent candidates cannot be taken more lightly as they disturb the election equation of major political parties. In the Ferozepur Lok Sabha constituency, in 12 elections from 1977 to 2019, 62 tried their luck as independent candidates. Only one independent candidate Dhyan Singh could enter Lok Sabha in 1989 while in 1985 one independent candidate had saved the security deposit.

Normally, the focus is on the main popular political candidates during the elections but among these, there are certain faces, who contest because of either leaving the parent party or having major differences with the party leaders, to counter the other candidates.

So far as Ferozepur is concerned, so far 115 independent candidates, out of 180 different political parties, have tried their luck during 12 Lok Sabha elections, when 115 candidates could not get the minimum required number of votes and had to forfeit the security deposits.  This security deposit money is different for every election.  As per the Election Commission, in case any candidate doesn’t get 1/6th of the total votes which comes to 16.66 per cent, his security is forfeited.  But it is surprising that despite not touching the minimum required figure of votes during the elections, the number of independent candidates only, as normally the party candidates get much more votes than required, participation is on the increasing trend.

As per the data, the maximum number of independent candidates who contested the elections was 27 in 2019 but none could save him from the penalty when the Shiromani Akali Dal candidate had won. While, the minimum three candidates were in 1985, out of which one candidate could get 11.48 per cent votes and he too could not save his security deposit.

On asking about barring the candidates from contesting as an independent candidate as suggested by the Law Commission of India, old-timer citizens, Satya Pal said, that participation by independents has a high price rather than a lesser role for the constituency in policymaking.  There is a need to stop the horse-trading of legislators.  The winning independent candidates gain importance when any major political party is short of candidates to form the government, with the allurement of money, ministries and many things behind the curtains.

On the other hand,  if you don’t allow independents, then it is against the fundamentals of democracy, and equality, as it will result that people have to be first them with any party then only they can contest the elections. So, it is not feasible in the Indian context and is even not advisable in democratic conditions.