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Election Amid Pandemic: Can Bihar Replicate the South Korea Model?

Elections held in South Korea amid coronavirus pandemic: Can Bihar adopt their poll model? 

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Video Editor:
Ashutosh Bhardwaj
Video Producer:
Hera Khan

We know that the coronavirus has claimed many lives, hit economies hard and has created mayhem in stock markets the world over. The virus, with its origins reportedly in totalitarian China, has not spared democratic processes either. According to reports, as many as 47 countries- including Sri Lanka, France and UK- had to postpone elections for different tiers.

South Korea, however, has set a precedent by successfully conducting parliamentary elections in the midst of a global pandemic. And according to agency reports, our own election commission is assessing the pros and cons of the South Korean model to check whether the same process can be replicated in Bihar, which is scheduled to hold assembly elections in September-October this year.

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From whatever I have read about the South Korean model and whatever I know of Bihar, it is going to be an uphill task to have the same set of processes being put to action in the state. However, one thing can be said with some degree of certainty - the outcome of elections will depend a great deal on how the pandemic is contained and its aftermath handled.

What Was Unique About the S Korean Model?

We all know that testing, more testing, isolation and quarantine were central to how South Korea managed to tame the impact of coronavirus. What is more, sophisticated technology was used to keep a tab on all those who were quarantined. The system seems to have worked smoothly thus far. The country, which had once emerged as a major hotspot outside of China, has successfully managed to contain the highly contagious virus.

Under this backdrop, the country had to make a tough choice on whether to hold parliamentary elections or postpone it for a later date. A little lapse at any stage would have proved very costly as ensuring social distancing during electioneering was a tough ask. The ruling establishment, however, took the plunge despite several risks.

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And the risks were too many: Falling approval rating of the ruling party, slowing economy and prospect of mass layoff, corruption scandals against members of the ruling party and the fear of coronavirus pandemic creating havoc in the middle of election process.

The ruling party took the risk nevertheless and went ahead with the elections. The entire voting process was completed in three phases. There was strict instruction to all the parties not to violate social distancing norms during campaigning. Hugging and handshakes were strictly prohibited.

Each of the 14,000 odd polling booths was designed in such a way that the norms of social distancing are strictly adhered to. Before entering the election booth, each voter had to use sanitiser, put on plastic gloves, his/her temperature checked and anyone found to have temperature exceeding 99 degree Fahrenheit were asked to vote at specially earmarked booths for them. Those in quarantine were asked to come to cast their votes after the conclusion of normal voting process. Election officials were given fully protective gear used by health workers.

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Votes were counted on 15 April and incumbent president Moon Jae-in’s left-of-the-centre Democratic Party won a landslide majority by winning 60 seats more than the last elections. It was a reward of sorts for the incumbent for successfully containing the virus and winning applause across the world.

Is Bihar Ready for a Similar Exercise?

As against 4 crore voters in South Korea, Bihar has total voters in excess of 7 crore. While population density in South Korea is close to 500, Bihar had population density in excess of 1,100 in 2011. It would have increased by now. In the 2015 assembly elections, there were more than 65,000 polling booths, many of them in congested areas where maintaining social distancing is going to be a huge challenge.

For Bihar to replicate the Korea model, the state will have to have booths at new locations. Then there will be a huge requirement for hand sanitisers, plastic gloves and fully equipped kits for polling officials. Will the election commission be ready to spend so much more to conduct assembly elections? Bihar, from what reports suggest, has struggled to manage the migrants’ crisis well. Will the state rise to the challenge of conducting elections with such precision?

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Bihar has a tradition of mega rallies during elections. The campaigning has always been noisy and sometime quite unruly. Does the state have the capacity to enforce strict social distancing norms during campaigning? And will the voters and political parties comply?

It is quite likely that by September-October we would have found a way to contain the virus. Holding elections then will be a less risky proposition. Otherwise, replicating the Korea model in Bihar will be a huge ask.

But there is one lesson all contesting parties must be mindful of- the virus is going to test the efficiency of the administration. The way it is handled is going to have huge bearing on how people vote. The ruling party may be a beneficiary if the pandemic and its aftermath is handled well.

(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)

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Topics:  South Korea   Bihar   Lockdown 

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