Bengaluru: Angry with traffic jams across the city over the last five days, caused by politicians going in processions to file nominations for the May 12 Assembly elections, Bengalureans have urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to provide an option for filing nomination papers online a provision to file nominations online, and save them from traffic jams.
The provision for e-filing of nominations should begin from major cities and towns like Bengaluru, Mangaluru, Mysuru and Belagavi if not at taluk headquarters, they said.
"It is shameful that though we live in a digital era and Bengaluru is the Silicon Valley of India, the provision for e-filing of nominations has not been thought of," said D.S. Rajshekar, president, Citizens' Action Forum (CAF).
It is a disgrace that election candidates, especially from major political parties, make thousands of citizens wait in traffic jams in the summer sun as they go to file nominations with hundreds of followers, he said. E-filing of nominations will not only be environment-friendly as it will save paper, but will also be people-friendly as citizens and commuters will not get caught in traffic jams, he said.
Mr Rajshekar said that politicians believe that their show of strength with hundreds of followers is crucial to their chances of winning the polls. "Being public representatives, they should be role models and help the public, not put them through hardships,"| he said.
"It is unfortunate that none of the politicians have voluntarily sought e-filing of nominations. The process will also help the Election Commission scrutinise the applications easily," he said.
Expressing similar views, Ravindranath Guru, Co-ordinator, Coalition AgainstCorruption (CAC), asked, "The administration gives thrust for digitisation, but why not for filing nominations."
