Sequence of Activities of AP Election Watch 2004

1. Training of Trainers, resource persons and volunteers
2. Voter registration and Electoral rolls revision
3. Campaign against criminalization
4. Voter Awareness campaign
5. Debates between candidates
6. Montioring of Polling Process
7. Pre and Post polling surveys

I. Training of Trainers, resource persons and volunteers

We have already initiated the process of involving Lok Satta volunteers across the state in the electoral rolls revision process, which was held between 27th November-5th December. From among them, we have trained 50 Senior-trainers for the larger EW effort. We have conducted a 2-day training session for the trainers (scheduled to be held in Warangal on the 20th and 21st of December). These trainers in turn will train 294 constituency coordinators, one for each assembly constituency. We are also aiming to train 80 -100 volunteers (total 25,000) in each assembly constituency to implement various EW activities. The training of volunteers at the grassroots level will be undertaken as part of the Active Citizen Training programme.

II. Voter registration and Electoral rolls revision

The Election Commission has carried out a summary revision of voter rolls across the country between the 27th November and 15th of December. Volunteers of Lok Satta assisted the voters and officials in the registration and revision process across AP. We are aiming to set up help booths in at least 600 mandals spread across the state, which will be manned by Lok Satta volunteers. This effort will be undertaken entirely with volunteer support and FDR funds.

But the huge number of 'new-voter' applications received (more than 50 lakhs across AP) by the Election commission is currently a big concern.

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III. Campaign against criminalization

a. Screening of potential candidates for criminal/corrupt record

This is an activity that had the greatest impact on public imagination during our 1999 EW effort. We propose to undertake a similar effort this time also, but with a few critical changes. Earlier, we collected information on criminal antecedents of candidates and made it public and also made a plea to the parties not to field any candidates with criminal record. It did have a significant impact as the major parties did drop a significant number of candidates. As a result no new candidates entered the political arena, even though entrenched candidates who have struck deep political roots continued to be in the fray. This time, we propose to go one step ahead and ensure that such entrenched candidates with criminal/corrupt record are not fielded by major parties and thereby reverse the process of criminalization. We will caution the parties well in advance that if they field any candidates with a criminal record, we will ask the people not to vote for them. Given FDR/Lok Satta's clout and support base in the state, we are confident that the parties will respond to our notice positively. The various tasks associated with this activity are publicity seeking information on criminal record of candidates, airing radio and TV messages, screening of collected information etc.

We propose to use the following channels for collecting information of candidates' criminal antecedents:

1. Utilize the wide newspaper network in the state.
2. Solicit information from the public through PO Box 100.
3. Tap confidential sources in police and government.

A screening committee consisting of eminent jurists, former police officials and civil society activists will evaluate the information collected. The following will be the criteria for evaluating the criminal record of candidates:

1. Conviction in any case
2. Charges framed by a magistrate
3. Rowdy sheet and/or History Sheet
4. Withdrawal of charges, or closure of a rowdy sheet etc. by the government without any explanation, proving a malafide intent during the past 7 years.
5. Established use of force in government or private tenders
6. Established cases of settlement of land or other disputes by force and forcible occupation of land.
7. Defaults to financial institutions or role in collapse of urban co-op banks, chit funds or other financial institutions (including dependent members of the family).
8. Dismissal/ Punishment awarded while in government for corruption or malfeasance, or pending disciplinary proceedings.
9. Indictment by statutory committee of enquiry.

The information so collected will be collated in a proper format and after appropriate screening by the committee will be sent to the political parties and also disseminated to the public widely.

b. District level public meetings

We propose to adopt a multi-pronged approach in our efforts to reverse the criminalization process and focus people's attention on the larger electoral and governance reform goals. We intend to do this through a combination of mass contact programmes, cultural performances and media capsules. As part of this effort, senior functionaries of FDR/Lok Satta will hold public meetings in all the 23 districts of the state. The mass communication and cultural performances are elaborated in the subsequent section.