Clueless about your election candidate's background and wondering who to vote for? Here's how to stay informed

You know the feeling. Come election time, you take one look at the candidates from your constituency and decide not to exercise your franchise. What's the point, you think, when each seems more corrupt than the other? Or you go the indifferent route. Ask parents and friends who they are voting for and blindly follow. Later you discover that the guy you voted for is a history-sheeter. It's time to stop being a blind voter. Put in some thought behind your vote. Here's how to do it:

Check The Credentials Of The Candidate
You may follow one political party or decide to vote for an independent candidate. Whatever it is, do yourself and the country a big service by checking out the credentials of the person you intend to vote for.

Your candidate claims to have worked for the underprivileged and the poor?
Do a little ground work instead of relying on the candidate's campaign speeches. Checking his background is not difficult. The Supreme Court's historic judgement of March 2003 has made it mandatory for all candidates to disclose their criminal offences, if any, their assets and liabilities, including money owed to government and public financial institutions and their educational background. Beside, there's always the Internet.

Become Part Of A Citizen's Watch Group
Citizen's Election Watch groups like the Association Of Democratic Reforms (ADR) are formed in different states by eminent professors, educationists, retired bureaucrats, etc, as well as by social organisations, with the Election Commission's support.

The purpose is simple: To ensure cleaner and better candidates in forthcoming elections.

Volunteer
If you can spare the time and energy, volunteer with an election watch group. This involves collecting affidavits filed by the candidates from the offices of Returning Officers. You'll be given the required letters and permission from the Election Commission. This work will also give you first-hand training on how to dodge your way around corruption and government apathy.

Information To Look Out For
Look for information on the candidates' financial and educational backgrounds and any criminal history. You'll be surprised at how many of them have pending cases for rioting to assault, eg, according to the ADR files, at the Rajasthan Assembly elections in 2003, 28 per cent of BJP candidates, 16 per cent of Congress candidates and 14 per cent of independent candidates had criminal antecedents. Now, how's that for assurance?

Can You Trust This Information?
The affidavits will only have information provided by the candidate. Since it has been collected from the sworn affidavits filed by the candidates themselves, you have to assume that it is true.

What Are You Likely To Find?
Interesting but depressing nuggets on the sorry state of our potential leaders. Try these from the affidavits collected by ADR volunteers before the December 2003 elections. BJP's Madanlal Khurana, who lost the race for the Delhi CM's post to Sheila Dikshit, has cases of defamation and defacing public property against him.

Delhi Minister of Education, Arvinder Singh Lovely of Congress, is charged with the offence of rioting. Anil Mittar of the Nationalist Congress Party from the Delhi Cantonment constituency, has two cases of assault on women pending against him, while the Samata Party's Prahlad Gupta from Chandni Chowk is charged with theft!

Does This Mean You Should Give Up Voting?
Not really. A little effort on your part can reveal if your local candidate is worth voting for or help you find some politicians who deserve support. Even if you are not part of any election watch group, you can check up on a candidate's background. Records of the candidates are kept with the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative and can be accessed out by interested people. Look them up in www.humanrightsinitiative.org. You can also visit websites like www.adrindia.org to know more about citizen watch committees and how you can be a part of them. The Internet has made it possible for us to access information at the click of a finger. Use this to your advantage and make an informed choice in the forthcoming elections.

First Timers, Listen Up!
Ensure that your name is on the electoral roll. (The official list of voters. Every constituency has one)
To get into the roll, you need to be living in a particular address for at least two or three years. You need to show proof with documents that mention the address, like ration card, telephone bill or a driving license. Keep in mind that you can't be enrolled at more than one place.

Once your name is on the roll, the Elector's photo Identity Card is the next step. It's an official document issued by the Election Commission, which establishes your identity as an eligible voter. Those on the voter's list are issued a notice that mentions the date on which Photo IDs are issued for a particular part. With this notice, you can visit the Designated Photographic Location (DPL), which is generally in a school of the locality and get your card.

Stay clued in to the elections, read the newspapers thoroughly. Volunteer for organisations like Centre for Equity Studies or Election Watches that would give you an understanding of the process and familiarise you with the candidates.

On the day of the election, carry your photo ID card if it has been issued to you. Mark your choice clearly on the ballot paper and for any one candidate or party. Don't be influenced by anyone. Your vote is your own decision and keep it that way. Also remember that your vote is secret.