At last, we have an authentic voters list!

THE army has finally handed over a printed electoral roll containing the names of 8.11 crore voters in the country. There is thus in hand, and finally, an authentic voters'list that will greatly contribute to the credibility of the promised general elections in December. Moreover, such a list, compiled with the active assistance of the military and employing local manpower, will stand the country in good stead at future elections. We had earlier written on the need for a credible voters' list in order for the electoral process to become substantive and acceptable. That has now been done, which is appreciable. There is now a national database, built on the strength of modern technology, which is a clear turning away from the obsolete, holes-ridden system of voting we have had till now.
An important component of the voters' list this time has been the inclusion of photographs. That again provides an unimpeachable basis for the issuance of national identity cards to citizens in the near future. Obviously, it is an achievement we can justifiably be proud of, seeing that this new list is a vast improvement over what the country had been treated to in the past. The nation remembers with much sadness the inclusion of as many as 1.5 crore false or fake voters in that list, prepared under an Election Commission clearly guided by blatant political considerations. We are happy that at last the Election Commission, with of course the healthy cooperation of the civil administration and the military, has now given us a list to be truly happy about. Another cause for our happiness is the relatively short span of time that has been spent in the preparation of the list, given especially the estimates earlier by some quarters about the number of years that would be needed to have it in place.
With the field level registration of voters completed and now the final list being there, we can safely tell ourselves that we are now ready for the next move. And that is a peaceful, enlightened casting of votes at the December elections.