Electoral malpractices must end

Apropos of ‘Let’s shut the door on poll-time tourism’; the informative article is a wake-up call that the practice of registration as an elector at a place where voting is due in the near future, after getting one’s name deleted from the list relating to one’s place of ordinary residence, is a fraud. People indulging in such an exercise make mockery of the democratic exercise. The ECI should take all necessary steps to nip this kind of malpractice in the bud to ensure fairness. Upgradation of software may help in defeating any attempt at harming poll process with mala fide intention.

Raj Kumar Goyal, Patiala

Prevent duplication of votes

With reference to ‘Let’s shut the door on poll-time tourism’; the Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) exercises must educate people about electoral malpractices and the SIR process must ensure implementation of this rule. State election commissioners must work in close co-ordination with the ECI to detect and prevent cross-state duplications. Sharing of verification database, local audits and real-time alerts can make the process watertight. Genuine domestic migrants must be protected, but transient or politically motivated voter transfers must stop. Electoral rolls are the bedrock of democracy — they must reflect genuine residence, not temporary loyalties.

Harsh Pawaria, Rohtak

Need an alert, informed society

Refer to ‘White-collar terror is now an inescapable reality’; the emergence of this different form of terror marks a dangerous shift in the landscape of national security. It is not just the poor or the uneducated who fall prey to extremist ideologies, but also the skilled and educated, who are capable of inflicting far greater damage. India’s response must, therefore, evolve beyond border security and embrace social vigilance and digital intelligence. As a nation that prides itself in knowledge and innovation, we must ensure that education never becomes an instrument of destruction. Public security will come not only from stronger walls and tighter laws, but from an alert, informed and united society — one that recognises and resists the silent spread of new forms of terror.

Gaurav Badhwar, Rohtak

VCs lack moral courage

Refer to ‘Democracy vs control : The tug of war in PU’; the problem of the ongoing students’ agitation in the campus is deep rooted. ‘Ad hocism’ has prevailed in the university for long. The key administrative posts of Registrar, Dean College Development Council and several others have been lying vacant for the last more than a decade. Politically- appointed VCs lack moral courage to fill important positions and take firm decisions in accordance with the law. A university can be run as a fiefdom, but not as a conspiracy. VCs act merely as paper-shufflers and managers.

Anil Bhatia, Hisar

PU’s golden legacy

Apropos of ‘Democracy vs control: The tug of war in PU’; while reforms are needed with changing times, they must emerge through dialogue and consensus. Alumni like me, those who studied at Panjab University in the 1960s and 1970s, fondly remember the golden era when PU stood among the leading universities of India and Asia, renowned globally for excellence in science, pharmacy, humanities and law. PU graduates earned distinction and respect both nationally and internationally. Unfortunately, over the decades, bureaucratic control, political interference and inadequate funding have undermined its autonomy and diminished its academic stature.

K Kumar, Panchkula

Enriching human lives

Refer to ‘The unsung art of waiting’; there are only a few who utilise this opportunity (waiting time) in a constructive and useful way, thereby honing one’s patience and humility, besides instilling self-discipline and flexibility, the human traits most needed in life. One should embrace the waiting period readily without getting irritated. One should rather embrace this time readily without complaining and getting irritated. This time will sometimes end in lasting memories thereby enriching our lives.

Ravi Sharma, Dhariwal