The New Nation - Internet Edition

Dr.Abdul Ruff

The concepts of democracy, equal justice, equal opportunities and free and fair poll are more of phrases of gimmicks than of any serious substance. These concepts referring to noble causes of humanity in its drive towards an informed society are invoked only every politician and party to win votes and outsmart their political opponents. As a result, none of these concepts has been fully employed to the fullest satisfaction of the populace. On the contrary, every where there are ambiguities and imbalances in their practice and all possible irregularities including the misuse of official machinery take place with full knowledge of the state agencies charged with the responsibility of creating conditions for and supervising the process of these responsibilities, in most cases they just refuse, rather than, fail to do any justice to their professions.

Recent March 02 Presidential poll that elected Dmitry Medvedev, 42, a lawyer and Deputy Premier, as proposed by his mentor President Vladimir Putin, as the new president of UNSC veto-powered Russia from May for the next five years as the most acceptable person of Russian voters to lead this one of the most powerful nation, has shown that Russian power is united and is on the rise and will further assert its power globally. But the poll has given rise to sever criticisms of irregularities. Soviet Russia had no problems mainly because the constitution had provided for only one candidate for a every contest, big or small, but they had the right to recall the candidates if their services were found unsatisfactory. Post-communist Russia has permitted multi-cornered contests from bottom to top. President Vladimir Putin got elected twice in 2000 and 2004 and his ratings have been gong up since he took over the reigns of the Kremlin. There have been severe criticisms that Moscow does not really promote multi-contests. The most crucial issues being debated the world over is about the deliberately weakened opposition in Russia. And many argue that polls in Russia are just an eye-wash.

Campaign was seen totally one-sided affair and the election was devoid of real choices. Only 300 international election observers monitored the 96,000 voting stations across Russia's 11 time zones. Some 450,000 police and troops deployed nationwide to ensure the voting proceeded calmly. With nearly 100% of the ballots counted final results showed that Medvedev had received 70.23 percent of the vote. The March poll also has given rise to malpractices of a sort in the campaign and poll, which the world monitoring agencies and opposition parties have raised.

Most Western election observers did not monitor the vote, citing obstruction by the authorities. Relatively few independent international observers were on hand to monitor the vote. Observers from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe said that unfair access to the media put into question the vote's overall fairness. The influential Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe(OSCE), which has sent hundreds of observers to past Russian elections, refused to monitor the vote, saying Russian authorities had imposed such tight restrictions that its monitors could not work in a meaningful way.

Not everyone accepted the results, and two of Medvedev's challengers threatened to go to court over alleged violations. Former world chess champion and Kremlin opponent Garry Kasparov plans street protests the day after the election, though only a minority of Russians sympathizes with his cause.

Although Dmitry Medvedev scored a crushing victory in Russia's presidential election, the Kremlin's opponents complain that voters have been denied a real choice because the biggest television stations slant their coverage in Medvedev's favor while election officials have barred some opposition challengers from running. However, Medvedev refused to take part in televised election debates, citing a lack of time. He already has the powerful state machinery behind him. There was a strong criticism for the Kremlin's favorite refusal to debate his rivals or formal campaign.

But Communist Party candidate Gennady Zyuganov and ultranationalist candidate Vladimir Zhirinovsky still alleged violations after the voting ended. After polls closed opposition leader Zyuganov said there had been widespread irregularities. "We will go to court over this," Itar-Tass quoted him as saying.

Impression was created that Medvedev was going to take over from Putin and the poll was only a formality, because Putin's eight years as president have left a deep imprint on the world's largest country.

Government-paid teachers and doctors across the country complained that they were being pressured to vote at their workplace under the gaze of their superiors, to ensure a convincing win and a high turnout for Medvedev.

Russian Daily Nezavisimaya Gazeta, discontent with Kremlin policy from academic circles, covered the report's contents, which focused on the lack of political opposition in the country and the need to change course.

While Medvedev is trumpeting the successes, not everyone was so convinced. Dmitry Sorokin, first deputy director of the Economics Institute at the Russian Academy of Sciences, said "increased PR" had essentially become the main result of the two-year projects. He said the amount committed to addressing the problems was meager and the country is undergoing a slow degradation.

The liberal opposition alliance headed by former chess champion Garry Kasparov, who was barred from running in the election, undertook marches in cities around the country on 03 March. He said that Russian elections are a farce; its results were known long ago; he is prepared to stand up to their plans to destroy democracy." Russian riot police clashed all opposition protesters who tried to hold an unauthorized rally in Moscow against the election of President Vladimir Putin's protégé, Dmitry Medvedev. Police detained scores of activists and dragged protesters to police buses in major cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Critics denounce the election as little more than a cynical stage show. The Central Elections Commission threw the only liberal candidate - former Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov off the ballot for allegedly forging signatures on his nominating petitions. The election campaign included debates on Russia's foreign as well domestic policy, but they did not affect the fortunes of Medvedev.

Official Russian media talked about voting for Medvedev and for the stability he represents. A few ministers ended a speech at a government meeting with the words: "Forward, Russia"-Medvedev's campaign slogan. So, the poll is only a mere formality to conduct peaceful power shift.

The Kremlin made a big show of its performance by using officials to brief about their achievements to boost the image of the official candidate. Medvedev's Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller, for example, said 13 million more Russians received gas to their homes as a result of the company's work since 2005, raising the level of homes being served to 62 percent from 54 percent. Even ordianry things were boosted to gian undue poll milage.

In Medvedev's hometown of St Petersburg popular artists and performers distributed their autographed CDs and books to the young voters after they cast their vote. The anti-Kremlin coalition, The Other Russia party threatened post-election protest marches cross the country, despite an official ban in the capital. Its leader and former chess champion Garry Kasparov has urged world leaders not to recognize Medvedev as the new Russian president as the elections were a 'farce'.

Reports say that many workers were told by their bosses to vote for Medvedev. Various inducements were also offered to mobilize voters, including cheap food, free cinema tickets or toys. Polling stations offered food and office supplies at a discount. In Medvedev's native St. Petersburg, some voters quaffed bargain beer at their polling place. Regional and municipal officials had roped in businesses to lure voters by distributing discount coupons of shopping malls, organizing lotteries and gifts, liberal opposition leaders said. There were many alleged vote violations.

Moscow is keen to use the poll victory to woo the Chechens. In Chechnya, raven by two wars since 1994 but now more or less under control by a Kremlin-backed administration, President Ramzan Kadyrov worked for a successful 95 percent to 100 percent turnout. "I voted for a bright future, for Medvedev," he said in Grozny.

The Kremlin has dismissed claims of fraud. The Izvestia newspaper supported that claim saying the vote was a "triumph of the majority" that created a "bridge to the future for Russia". West is irked at Medvedev having even based his platform on a vow to pursue "the Putin plan." It's a telling demonstration of how Putin established dominion over Russian politics through genuine popular support, marginalizing opposition parties and putting national broadcasters under the state's thumb. Many Russians feel that Medvedev's campaign seemed "planned and coherent" and voted for him despite disappointment in the Kremlin's unfulfilled promises to provide cheaper housing for families like his.

The Nobel laureate from Russia and the former Soviet President Michael Gorbachev, commenting on the poll, said Russian democracy has been different form the rest of the world powers and the West should not interfere in Kremlin affairs. He admitted that Russia has only one future - democracy. As the first priority, Gorbachev has suggested a return to a mixed system of parliamentary elections, so people may vote both for party lists and for individual candidates. He wants the governors be again elected in a popular vote, instead of the president's choice being approved by regional legislatures.

But, considering the evil practices like fund-raising, booth capturing, ballot stealing, replacement of boxes and religous hatred, etc, as part of so-called free and fair polls in third world, like India, the poll in Russia was not totally invalid. By the way, can any one come out with reasons to suggest a country, developed or developing, where genuine free and fair poll is conducted regularly?