18
September 2013
Mr V S Sampath
Chief Election Commissioner
of India
New Delhi
vs.sampath@eci.gov.in
Dear Sir,
Sub: HCV/Truck Drivers – Postal Ballot Facility –
Exercise of Democratic Rights
Greetings.
Having returned from
interacting with over 500 truck drivers yesterday (17 September 2013) as part
of nation-wide Driver’s Day celebrations in National Capital Region (NCR), one
thought that kept reverberating in my mind was these “unlettered professionals”
desire to have a say in the election/selection of political leaders to rule
over them.
Well, it was not the only
time I heard them voice their need to exercise their democratic rights in the
Republic of India.
These drivers – running into
huge numbers (a few lakhs, if not more )
– have been sharing their thoughts on this critical issue with me over the past
three years as I keep crisscrossing India in trucks to understand their working
and living conditions. Well, that is a different issue altogether.
On crucial polling dates for
Assembly or Parliament, a major chunk of them are ‘ON DUTY’ – steering toiletries,
food, medicine, motor fuel and what not – so that aam janta and Constitutional
Heads such as the President of India, your goodself and the Chief Justice of
Supreme Court of India are not deprived of ‘necessities’.
Like army, police and
government employees on polling duty, even these truck drivers are on a
‘crucial mission’ – far away from their homes.
Therefore, they simply cannot
cast their votes at the designated polling booth on the give polling day.
While the entire nation takes
a day off from their regular work to exercise their democratic rights (how many
of them actually utilize this golden right is debatable) with
Why?
Because they cannot leave their
loaded/unloaded vehicles on the highways wherever they are to rush back home,
cast their votes and return to stranded vehicles within 24-hour cycle.
Their living and working conditions
are pathetic and they strongly feel political parties DO NOT consider them as
vote banks. In a way, they are voiceless and not represented by political
parties.
Hence these truck drivers pondering
about ways and means to have a ‘say’
The adult franchise enshrined in the
Indian Constitution be allowed to be exercised by those needy ones who want to.
Therefore, I request your goodself to
examine this request of truck drivers to use ‘postal ballot’ route
I will begin the process of
collecting at least 10,000 request forms of truck drivers on this issue soon
and submit the same for your favourable consideration.
Election Commission, am sure, can
devise ways and means In this regard
In this regard, KRK Foundation
working for improving the living and working conditions of truck drivers will
also take it up with relevant ministries and Members of Parliament to examine
this genuine request and help ushering in changes in the relevant laws of the land.
I shall be grateful to Election
Commission if it can do something in this regard.
Waiting to hear from you,
Cheers
Ramesh
Kumar
KRK Foundation
New Delhi
