Vote Smart India

VSI is based on the principle that a knowledgeable electorate is a central component to a functioning democracy. Information about elected officials and candidates, on this line of thinking, is crucial to maintaining the defense of citizens' rights and privileges guaranteed in the Constitution. In that spirit, the VSI blogspot is meant to be a hub of information supportive of democratic decision-making. A database of thousands of candidates and elected officials at the Centre and States, as well as less detailed information at the local level for each state, is in the process of being developed. The campaign information is meant to be wholly objective: organisers say that every candidate will be treated with equal deference, and that only relevant and unbiased facts will presented. VSI does not lobby for or oppose any candidate, position, or issue.

In short, an interactive website will be developed that is characterised by active citizen participation. The idea here is that people at large are unlikely to see or use election information unless intermediary groups play a proactive role in analysing, interpreting, and presenting it in a usable form to them well before the elections. As it stands, the Election Commission of India (ECI) must gather information on candidates; VSI helps in the collection, management, and dissemination of that information, which includes candidates' criminal records, assets, liabilities, and education. Through an interactive website, candidates will be able to submit their information electronically. This information - possibly along with biographical data and issue position statements - will be accessible to all citizens online. Various interactive programmes like one-on-one contact with voters are also in development. The goal is to make governance responsible, responsive, interactive, and accountable.

Citizens from every state will form VSI's membership base. As a citizen's organisation that does not accept grants or contributions from the government or private corporations, VSI will be supported by individual donors and member/volunteers who will work for 2-week periods at VSI's centre in Saket. Other volunteers will serve as "ambassadors" by introducing their own communities to the free services that VSI offers (in addition to the web-based effort, VSI offers "Smart Voting" workshops and lectures).

In addition, VSI has forged collaborations with newspapers and broadcast media, based on a mutual interest in informing voters about candidates' campaign issue positions. Each election cycle, political editors and news directors will help VSI staff urge candidates to give voters some sense of how the candidates will handle tough issues if elected. News organisations can then use the candidates' responses in debates, town meetings, voters' guides, and general election coverage.

To support VSI's mission to inform all citizens about the electoral process, VSI is also designing an education programme for schools and colleges. Vote Smart Classroom will involve classroom activities, suggestions for teachers by fellow educators, an index of advocacy groups, and other resources for issue research. Specific lesson plans include Campaign Promises, Types of Advertising, How People Make Voting Decisions, Political Parties, and a way to track candidates. The Vote Smart Classroom site will also offer links to other voter education sites, government offices and agencies, the home pages of all registered political parties, and research resources about issues.

Democracy & Governance.

On March 13 2003, the Supreme Court made it mandatory for all candidates to complete declaration forms along with their nomination papers.