M. Sakhawat Hussain

I have, in my previous article, highlighted the rationale for having armed forces on the ground during elections because of the highly tense political climate and the virulent atmosphere of confrontational politics, especially when the next general election is likely to be held without the dissolution of Parliament.

Unless the voters feel safe—and if the EC fails to deploy forces under its control within a security template that should have been prepared by now (and if the use of security forces is reactive rather than proactive)—it will be a total wastage of the 70 percent of the election budget apportioned to security.

Elections are the only instrument of democratic and peaceful transfer of power with the consent and choice of the majority. Therefore,

No elections in a democratic world are perfect, be it in a liberal or an emerging democracy.