Code of conduct

Whatever be the outcome of the elections for trusteeship to the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP), I found that the election was fought at a level that may be called shameful. I am very sad to note that the election was not contested in the true Zoroastrian spirit. Meetings were held in many baugs, colonies and Parsi societies where candidates tried to woo voters by resorting to low level tactics. Instead of canvassing for their own candidates, groups indulged in a war against each other. Attacks were made on candidates at the personal level and unfortunately the religious card was played, forgetting that when you point a finger at somebody the remaining fingers are pointed towards you. Hate mails made the rounds and publications indulged in character assassination. Even at the polling booths volunteers of different candidates were ready to fight. At one place I saw a volunteer threatening a BPP official, asking him to come out of the polling booth.

Hats off to the independent lady candidate from whom all other candidates should learn lessons on how to address meetings. There was no mudslinging, no abuse of other candidates, no vulgar waste of money, no loudspeakers, no food, not even water. She appealed to voters in the most dignified manner informing them about what she has done in the past, what she is doing at present and what she intends to do in future.

I also wonder how, if candidates of two disparate groups are elected, they will behave in the boardroom. Will they continue their war against one another? Will that be in the interest of the community? Crores of rupees were spent by candi­dates on posters and banners, circulars, meetings, food, etc. What is so lucrative about being a trustee of a charitable trust? I wonder whether there will be any attempt to recover such vulgar spending?

The entire election process was a free for all, being without any code of conduct. What is done is done, but do we have to waste money like this in all our future elections? Can we not contest future elections in a more dignified manner? Do we want to become a laughing stock in the eyes of other communities? We must have a code of conduct for all future elections with a limit to the spending by any candidate, a ban on personal character assassination, throwing parties and gahanbars by candidates. There should be no canvassing at the polling station and 1,000 meters away from it. There should not be a single poster in the vicinity of polling booths. Candidates should be asked to respect one another. In fact, there should be complete discipline.

I have reliably learnt that the absence of a code of conduct was because the High Court did not prescribe one. But does that mean that we cannot have our own set of rules? I request our legal luminaries to take steps to ensure that the High Court amends its order to ensure that elections are fought in a dignified manner.

HOMI DALAL

jaloodalal@rediffmail.com