Is democracy a funereal exercise? This is the question one is dogged with as one travels through the districts which are going to polls in the first phase of the Assembly elections in Karnataka on May 10.

For someone who is not tuned to the happenings in the State, and who is not a regular local newspaper reader or TV viewer, he could easily spend a week here and not even realize that the "dance of democracy", is on.
This seems to be an election of the bureaucracy, for the bureaucracy and by the bureaucracy, if you like. If one is wondering what this new formulation of the definition of democracy is all about, one should visit Karnataka. One can travel hundreds of kilometers and not see a single flag, bunting, poster or a bill board with the faces of the candidates grinning, smiling or reverently wishing the voters with folded hands.

The Election Commission's guidelines have virtually stifled all that we have come to associate with an election in this country. Instead of the celebration of democracy which every election is all about, what one is witnessing is a virtual fear psychosis, among the political parties, candidates, party workers, and why even hoteliers and petty businessmen. The worst hit are the makers of banners and posters and all the paraphernalia associated with elections. And of course not to speak of the ordinary citizens.

A group of young men who had sold some land in Mysore district and had received cash, found it out recently that it was not the wisest thing for them to do during this time. Reason—the cops caught up with them and seized the cash (about Rs.30 lakhs) accusing them of using it to bribe voters. The hapless youngsters' plea went unheard and until they prove otherwise the cash is safely stacked in the bureaucratic cupboard.

A senior IAS officer traveling to attend a marriage was waylaid by the alert cops, and his car and person was searched. Again with the suspicion that he may be carrying cash to bribe voters! With strict rules being imposed in Mysore district by an overzealous bureaucracy obviously enjoying the unfettered freedom they have now, all eating places are being closed by 10 p.m. The hundreds of tourists who flock to Mysore during this season, and return after a day long tour, have been finding themselves making do with fruits and biscuits for dinner.

The situation is the same in almost all the districts in the State. So much so, public meetings are few and far between. With every vehicle being checked and even a gathering of ten friends being interpreted as a political gathering, people are now finding it difficult to gather in a group. With such strict interpretation and enforcement of code of conduct political parties have given up any idea of bringing their party workers and well wishers to rallies addressed by their national leaders.

So much so, an attendance of 10,000 people in a rally of national leaders like Sonia Gandhi or Advani or Mayawati, is being hailed as a major success and "good crowds" by the party spin doctors and the media as well.

The Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh was therefore asked to address a meeting of "intellectuals and concerned citizens", at an auditorium instead of holding a public meeting. And with the kind of restrictions imposed, what one witnessed was a half empty auditorium.

The question which crops up is---- are the voters not entitled to see and hear their national leaders, and if they are facilitated to come and see them by the respective parties, should they be barred. For most of these people, it is their one time opportunity, as most can't even afford to travel the distances on their own.
If people are not allowed to see and hear their leaders during the election time when else can they do it? The Election Commission which thinks keeping the elections free and fair is their duty have just gone a little overboard in ensuring it. The result is a sanitised election barring all the excitement and vibrancy which one associates with such a large democratic exercise.

It is therefore no wonder that many people one spoke to especially in villages, and even in places like Bangalore are not sure of when the polling is to take place. The presumption of the Commission that everyone is watching TV and reading newspapers and therefore would know, just doesn't work in rural areas where lakhs of people have access to neither.

No wonder, even responsible political leaders like S.M.Krishna are openly expressing doubts about the percentage of polling. "If the polling percentage is low, the Election Commission should take responsibility for it", Krishna warned on TV channels.

Even Venkaiah Naidu has come down strongly on the overzealous measures of the Commission, which has curtailed campaigning and efforts to reach out to people.

Of course, there are many especially the official class and the generally apolitical middle class which always spares no efforts to be cynical of the political class, preening over the problems being faced by the politicians. They predictably welcome the sanitization of the election campaign.

But is election a fettered exercise? Is this kind of overzealous monitoring good for a democracy? Will it encourage people to come and vote or create a sense of ennui and lack of interest? And most importantly has it really curtailed the use of money power? Going by the number of tales of how hard cash is being distributed by the political parties and candidates, it certainly doesn't seem to have been curtailed.

national debate is therefore necessary as three people in the election commission sitting in Delhi should not become the arbiters of what is good for Indian democracy.