Seminar on Indian National Election 2019: How the Caste, Class, Religion, and Demography affect the Voting Behavior"

Asian Institute of Policy and Governance (SIPG) of NSU organized the seminar on "Indian National Election 2019: How the Caste, Class, Religion, and Demography affect the Voting Behavior"

Sanjay Kumar, professor, and director of Center for the Studies of Developing Societies (CSDS) of Delhi attended as the Key Note Speaker in the seminar. Jawhar Sircar, former Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal and Brig Gen (Retd) Dr. M Sakhawat Hussain, Former Election Commissioner, Election Commission of Bangladesh, was present as the special guests. Former Chief Election Commissioner Dr. ATM Shamusul Huda attended the seminar as the chief guest.

 

Prof Sanjay Kumar, Key Note Speaker of the Seminar said young voters in the election are ex­pected to play a vital role." Caste and religion also play an important role in Indian polls," he said, adding that Congress and BJP both have to rely on the religion and caste-based small alliances and groups for forming the government.. "BJP which attracted voters in 2014 polls by various development commitments, have failed to promote employment, resolve farmers' problem and rural crises. So the upcoming polls are a great challenge for BJP. On the other hand, voters have no attraction or hatred for Congress which is also facing some challenges," he said.

 

Jawhar Sircar, former Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal of India focused on the constitutional institutions of India and its role in conducting an election. He said the Indian judi­ciary, Election Commission and law en­forcers nowadays have to work under political pressure, but there are check and balance in the discharge of their duties.

M Sakhawat Hussain, the former Election Commissioner of Bangladesh, said election conducting authorities in developing counties are exposed to a problem that defeated parties reject polls results. In his speech Chief Guest of the seminar, Dr. ATM Shamusul Huda said the role of the elec­tion commission is very important for flourishing democracy in a country. Indian elections remain unbiased and influenced for being automatically checked and balanced, he said.

Prof.  Sk Tawflque M Haque, Direc­tor of SIPG, delivered the welcome ad­dress. Vice-chancellor of NSU Professor Atiqul Islam chaired the session. The seminar was moderated by Prof. Salahuddin M Aminuzzaman, Adviser of South Asian Institute of Policy and Governance.