MyVoice: Views of our readers 27th September 2026

Lack of transparency in voter registration, a blow to democracy

In a democracy, the right to vote is one of the most powerful rights bestowed upon citizens by the Constitution. However, the recent changes introduced by the Election Commission in the rules governing voter registration and corrections, particularly Form-6, have created serious hurdles for ordinary citizens, especially young people seeking to exercise their right to vote for the first time.

In Telangana, including Hyderabad, there are growing concerns that even the names of individuals who already had voting rights and had duly completed and submitted the Enumeration Form, as well as those who submitted the required documents, are not appearing in the draft electoral rolls.

Had their names appeared at least in the draft electoral rolls, citizens would have had an opportunity to raise objections or submit additional documents to rectify any errors. The absence of their names from the draft lists has effectively denied them even that opportunity, raising concerns that lakhs of eligible citizens in Telangana could be deprived of their right to vote.

The authorities must take immediate steps to eliminate this confusion and ensure that no eligible citizen is deprived of their fundamental democratic right. The courts should also intervene, wherever necessary, to ensure accountability and safeguard the voting rights of citizens.

At the same time, special voter-registration camps should be organised immediately in colleges and educational institutions to facilitate the enrolment of eligible young people and ensure their active participation in the democratic process.

Srinivaas Goud Muddam,Hyderabad

Accelerate electoral reforms on a continuous basis

TheHigh Court of Telangana deserves appreciation for its judgement disqualifying Danam Nagender as MLA , Khairatabad setting aside the delayed decision of the Speaker of Telangana Assembly. However , the HC has not imposed any bar on him to contest as MLA in the by poll. Even the Supreme Court has not done so while dismissing his appeal petition. This aspect of the episode looks strange and surprising. Such silence can only be attributed to the major deficiencies in Indian electoral laws.

There is urgent need to overhaul our electoral system thoroughly and immediately. Any delay in this regard means a mockery of Indian democracy. We live in a unique democracy ‘ of the corrupt rich , by the corrupt rich , for the corrupt rich ‘ . Hence disparities of incomes widen year after year , unemployment has no end , good governance eludes , intelligent and honest suffer , Law and order worsens etc .,

Today , individuals lacking ethics have walked into our law- making bodies with ease . The muscle and money power of unscrupulous persons facilitates their easy entry into legislatures and parliament . The debates or rather lack of debates prior to transforming bills into laws speaks volumes about the low calibre and character of majority of law makers at various levels.

For past 79 years of Independence , the situation is only worsening year after year. Intellectuals with intelligence and integrity are unable to dare to file their applications in elections being victims of highly flawed election laws of our country. The repeated and periodical suggestions of wiser sections of our society through various fora for suitable action have failed to recieve reponse from the competent authorities.

The inference is simple. Law breakers sitting in the seats of law makers are keen to nurture present defective system in their self- interest. However , procrastination on this subject is neither desirable nor justified. Immediate electoral reforms are highly essential to transform our democracy “ of the people, for the people and by the people “.

M V Nagavender Rao, Hyderabad

Judiciary must ensure CEC comes clean

Sir, apropos of ‘Election Commission needs to speak’ (Hans India; September 26, 2026).

Though SIR is supposedly a well-intentioned attempt by the Election Commission (EC) to cap illegal voting by immigrants, the result was unacceptable- 13.8 crore eligible voters were disenfranchised. Besides SIR, the EC has been under cloud of unfairness on EMR-based elections- a long-term allegation of the opposition.

A media report on dearth of unanimity within the EC vis-à-vis SIR has pushed it further into its back foot. The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) is responsible to come clean on these issues in supposedly the ‘world’s largest democracy’ to restore EC’s credibility. The ball is entirely on the judiciary’s court to have the EC, especially the CEC come clean on the contentious issues, and also give him a chance to shed light on possible coercion from the government.

Dr. George Jacob, Kochi

HC judgement on noise pollution violated openly

TheBombay High Court’s latest call for a complete ban on sound equipment and laser lights during public celebrations, and for a more dignified and civilised way of conducting processions, has once again brought the issue of noise pollution into sharp focus. but past experience is any guide, the order is unlikely to make much difference unless local administrations are willing to enforce it.

It may be the first time the High Court has acted against excessive noise during festivals. Its first major directive on the issue came in 2003. Yet, despite repeated orders, the noise continued unabated particularly during Ganapati processions in Mumbai, Pune, Thane and Nashik.

Barely days after the court’s stern observations, however immersion processions in Mumbai, Pune and elsewhere once again featured DJs, loudspeakers and ‘dholtasha’ groups whose sound reverberated through neighbour hoods. The campaign launched earlier this month by Pune resident Vidyanand Bapat against noise pollution during Ganeshotsav. Protection from noise pollution is an aspect of the fundamental Right to Life under Article 21 of the Constitution. The rules themselves permit limited relaxation of norms for public celebrations.

India’s legal framework on noise is therefore not the principal stumbling block. The real problem is enforcement. Local administrations and the police have to apply the law consistently, without fear or favour Instead, they have often been accused of looking the other way, either because of political pressure or a reluctance to offend religious and social sentiments. The police claim that many complaints turn out to be without substance is difficult to accept at face value.

The High Court observed that noise pollution rules cannot be “presumed to be non-existent and/or completely relaxed” due to festivities. Despite a “rosy picture being painted” by the government, the high court criticised the complete lack of strict enforcement.

Yashpal Ralhan,Jalandhar

Tourism needs more attention in India

Thattourism is a key sector for boosting a country’s economy is an understatement. The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has been observing September 27 as the World Tourism Day from 1980. International governments aim to infuse “responsibility” in travellers because responsible travellers, aware of their obligations towards maintaining the purity of a tourist destination, are godsends for tourism. Tourism has liberally contributed to India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and tourist places are the centres of attraction for a traveller as well as the government. Additionally, tourism is also a large employment avenue in India.

In a country as diverse as India, it is indeed a laborious task for the government to keep tourist places spic- and- span which is why the role of citizens in overseeing the orderliness of key tourism places becomes so vital. “Connectivity, Cleanliness, Certainty” are the three essential ingredients that make a tourist place much sought after.

Preventing the centres from deteriorating to mere structures, maintaining the liveliness of the places and ensuring no tourist is harassed by either beggars or sexual predators, are critical for a tourist centre. There are a few unexplored tourism treasures that should be tapped and allowed to blossom through robust advertisement and good access.

Dr Ganapathi Bhat,Akola

The rise of the “Cockroach Janta Party”

Throughthe columns of your esteemed newspaper, I wish to draw attention to the sudden rise of the so-called “Cockroach Janta Party” in our society. Like cockroaches appearing from dark corners at night, this party seems to emerge only during elections, making loud promises and creating chaos everywhere. Their leaders claim they will clean the system, yet they survive comfortably in dirt, confusion, and corruption. They multiply rapidly, occupy every available space, and refuse to disappear despite repeated public complaints. Citizens are tired of hearing speeches filled with empty assurances while basic problems remain unsolved.

The youth especially feel frustrated watching such “pests” dominate public discussions instead of honest and hardworking leaders. Democracy deserves transparency, accountability, and genuine service — not noise, nuisance, and political survival tactics. I hope the public will become more aware and vote responsibly so that such “cockroach politics” does not continue to spread unchecked.

Jubel D’Cruz, Mumbai

Are ordinary voters being served?

Forgetthe politics surrounding the electoral-roll “purification” exercise backed by the Supreme Court. The real concern is whether ordinary voters are receiving the same protection and opportunity for verification as others.

A system appears to have been created at the field level for BLOs to deal with notices issued to VIP voters. But what about ordinary voters? It is deeply troubling if voters who duly submitted their Enumeration Forms online are nevertheless deleted and shifted to the “permanently shifted” category, despite continuing to live at the same address recorded in their existing voter IDs.

Such voters should not be left out merely because of a field-level or system-level error. Their names should be restored to the electoral roll, subject to proper verification and the prescribed procedure. No genuine voter should lose the right to vote without being given a fair opportunity to establish that he or she continues to reside at the registered address.

N Nagarajan,Hyderabad

A five-point reform plan to control student suicides

A ceiling fan is only a ceiling fan until a student sees no tomorrow. The death of 22-year-old Sahil Wakode at IIT Bombay has once again forced India to look beyond the comforting vocabulary of “academic pressure”. Sahil, a second-year BTech student from Yavatmal, died on September 18, hours after he was allegedly found using a mobile phone during an examination.

IIT Bombay said the matter was discussed with him, that he was counselled and assured that the incident would not damage his academic career. His parents, however, have alleged harassment and caste discrimination. Those allegations are now being investigated. There was no suicide note, and it is too early to claim that any single event caused his death.

But the larger question cannot wait for another inquiry. India recorded 14,488 student suicides in 2024, according to NCRB data, up from 13,892 in 2023. Student suicides now account for 8.5% of all reported suicides in the country. Replacing ceiling fans with wall-mounted fans may reduce access to one means of suicide. It is sensible, but it is not a mental-health policy. We cannot redesign every hostel room and leave the mind inside it unchanged.

The first reform should be to create a campus early-warning system. Attendance, sudden withdrawal from classmates, declining performance, repeated missed meals, disciplinary trouble and abrupt behavioural changes should trigger a confidential human check-in, not an automated warning or punishment.

Second, every institution should have an independent student ombudsman. A frightened student should have somewhere to go when the problem involves a professor, warden, examination authority, caste discrimination, bullying or harassment. Counselling cannot work if the student fears that speaking honestly will damage his academic record.

Third, counselling must stop being the campus equivalent of a fire extinguisher kept behind glass. Institutions need counsellors who are available before a crisis, with appointments that do not carry a stigma. Every first-year student should receive a basic mental-health orientation, just as they receive an academic orientation.

Fourth, we need to change our definition of success. IITs, medical colleges and universities celebrate toppers with extraordinary enthusiasm, but failure is often treated like a private embarrassment. Students must hear, repeatedly and institutionally, that failing an examination, losing a semester, changing a course or disappointing a professor is recoverable.

There should also be academic amnesty mechanisms: a cooling-off period after serious disciplinary incidents, access to counselling, an opportunity to contact family or a trusted mentor, and a review before severe academic consequences are imposed. The Supreme Court’s National Task Force has already been examining academic pressure, discrimination, exclusion and institutional shortcomings, and is working on stronger systems for mental-health services, faculty sensitisation and periodic well-being audits.

But perhaps the most important reform is cultural. A university must stop asking only, “How many marks did you get?” It must occasionally ask, “How are you doing?” That question costs almost nothing. For some young people, it could mean everything. The real measure of an institution is not merely how many brilliant minds it produces. It is how many troubled minds it manages to hold safely until the storm passes.

K Chidanand Kumar,Bengaluru

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The Hans India