Voting Behaviour of Differently Abled Persons: A Study in Paschim Medinipur District of West Bengal

Swapan Hati
Email-Id:-swapanhati80@gmail.com
Research Scholar in Political Science, Vikrant University,
Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India

Dr. Sanjay Singh
(Ph.D Supervisor)
Director, IIMT College of Law, Greater Noida
Email-Id: -iips.alg@615gauravyadav
Ph No. – 8768993080

Abstract
Voting is regarded as the main source of all political rights in Indian liberal democratic system. The citizens of the state have sovereign power. This power of his citizens expressed through voting. Indian’s Differently Abled persons are also Indian citizens. The Differently Abled voting pattern focuses on the determinants of why Differently Abled person vote as they do and how they arrive at the voting decisions they make. Today, they are display a pronounced interest towards election and also politics. The name of polling day is the “D-day”. On this day, the fate of the candidates is decided by the electorate. They are ultimate masters. Among these ultimate masters are the disabled persons. My present study focuses on the voting behaviours of differently Abled persons of West Bengal in PaschimMedinipur district. So, there is no doubt about the importance and significance of voting rights of disabled persons in democracy.

Keywords:-Voting Communication, Determinants of voting behaviours, Political Participation, Voting Apathy, Floating voters.

Introduction   

“What touches all must be decided by all”

                                      -John Stuart Mill[1]

Voting Behaviour is a very significant part of the overall political behaviour of existing political system. In discussions of voting behaviour, the behaviour of Differently Abled voters is considered an important issue in the analysis of political justice today. All the decision- making behaviour of Differently Abled voters that is related to the institutional process is called Differently Abled voting behaviours. Voting behaviour is closely related to electoral politics. Understanding the Political Culture, Political Behaviour and political participation in any political system requires an understanding of voting behaviours. In the context of discussions on voting behaviours, the attitudes and opinions of Differently Abled citizens on existing political systems and political life can be identified. The importance and significance of voting behaviour in understanding the attitudes, views and responses of people of differently abled in the political system is beyond debates. 

Discussions of voting behaviour have gained particular importance and become popular in modern political science. Voting or voter behaviour is a meaningful way of the political process of examining any state. It can be precisely determined by which elements or issues voters are influenced in expressing their support for a political party or contesting candidate in an election. By analyzing this voting behaviour, the culture of electoral politics can be understood. Voting behaviour needs to be reviewed in order to understand and evaluate the opinions of the people regarding the stability or change of the existing political system. In this way various important facts about the existing political system are measured. Differently Abled person are not outside of society today. Here, I will discuss how the voting behaviour of those voters who are differently abled voters. Political Leaders can make informed decisions on important political issues based on information from voters with Different Abled.

Aim & Objectives
Aim of the Present Study:
The aim of the present study is to study the voting behaviours among Differently Abled people. Now, it is well established that political, social, economic growth and prosperity in India has generally bypassed a large number of Differently Abled peoples living in remote areas whose have remained voiceless and ignored. The aim was to conceptualize of understanding about disability has moved away from a biological perspective to question of democracy i.e. accessibility, inclusion and empowerment. The need is to recognize the fact that persons with disabilities are the most inspiring people. A disabled person is not satisfied with voting in the electoral system. Basing on this conceptual view point the present study aims at studying the voting behaviours of these peoples which have no party to identify.

This study has main Objectives-

1. To explain what does voting Behaviours, political participation and democracy mean of the Different Abled persons.
2. What is the Universal design and accessibility of voting participations and democracy?
3. How inclusive are the political systems in our countries with Differently Abled People.
4. To analyze the Differently Abled voters political awareness.
5. To examine the impact of the election campain to the Differently Abled voters decision.
6. To identify the influence of various factors make Differently Abled people voting apathy.

Methodology
So, the limits of above aims, objectives and research questions, the present study tries to focus the factors which mostly influence the behaviours of the Differently Abled voters in the elections, based on the following method. This study is a pre- poll survey.  The present study is descriptive and based on the analysis of Primary and secondary data. For this, the various events of harassment and violation reported in newspaper, books and research articles against the persons with differently abled. A qualitative design was applied with inductive approach, which allowed us to focus on conceptions at the strategic level in disability organisation. Furthermore, I assumed that these conceptions would have implications at the operational level. A Society which cares for voting behaviours of persons with differently abled is considered to be the best as disability affects not only the individual and family but also society, nation and the state.

So, there are some vital hypothesis questions that need to be discussed and clarified—

1. Is a disabled person (PwDs) satisfied by voting?
2. Did the election system perform its duties properly?
3. Is there balance in the society as well as the state system?      

Review of Literature
The main purpose is to the review of literature published by according who tried to study the voting behaviours.

• Eldersveld .J. Samuel (1951),  in Theory and Method in Voting Behaviour Research discussing voting behaviours states that the preparation of voting documents, voter support change statistics, etc are importance to.
• Sirsikar V.M. (1965) explained his book “Political Behaviour in India: A Case Study of the 1962 in General Elections” that the higher the influence of the family head on the voting behaviour of other family member and influence of candidates, party loyalty and caste loyalty influence voting.
• Schriner, K., Ochs, L., & Shields, T. (2000).have pointed out in his book entitled “Democratic Dilemmas: Notes on the ADA and voting rights of people with cognitive and emotional impairments” that political participation ensures public support behind government if people’s participation in political activities is low, there is a high risk of people’s revolution and rebellion against the existing political system. The participation of differently abled people’s in such political systems is very important.
• Olaniyi, J. O. (2004).had made a study on base and strategies that had been adopted   “A Geo-political perspective of the voting behaviour of electorate in Nigeria” that conceptualized voting behaviour as one of the major forms of political participation that is always discussed in relation to election and voting activities.
• Moynihan, D., and Silva, C. (2005), in his worked on “What is the Future of Studying Elections? Making the Case for a New Approach” observed that voting behaviours is an aspect of political participation which is concerned with the ways in which citizen tend to vote in general election response why they vote as they do. The tern voting behaviours has recently been expanded in meaning and is taken as a major broader area of study.
• Sackey, E. (2014) Disability and political participation in Ghana: an alternative opined that voting behaviour is a set of personal electoral activities including participation in electoral campaigns, turnout at the polls, choosing whom to vote for at the election or campaigning and standing as a candidate during the election.
• Priestly, M. Stickings, M, Loja, E (2019), study on “The Political Participation of disabled people in Europe: Rights, Accessibility and Activism” Political equality and voting rights are denied to some groups of differently abled people in national laws. There is a lack of monitoring on differently abled people equality and the accessibility of electoral processes.
• Yadi S., Sarina Y., and Roslan A. (2021), Research was carried out on “Understanding the Voter’s Behaviours as an Effort to Increase Publics Political Participation in Indonesia”. His study was based on Voting behaviours is the act of determining which political choice they feel is the most suitable or the most preferred to be chosen. Voting is a series of personal actions in an election.

Voting Communication
Voting Communication or Communication information is a very recent discussion. Voting behaviours and political communication are thus inextricably linked. Most of the electorate is not very interested in political issues. The most of the voters do not want to involve themselves directly in the political process other than by simply voting. Moreover, their knowledge about political matters is very low. For this reason it is raining to be informed in detail about making political communication. The word “Communication” is used in narrow and broad sense.  In the narrow sense, Communication is the process of influence the mind of another person. Communication in a broad sense refers not only to verbal speech but also to human behaviour. W.Ross Ashby his book “Design for a Brain” (1952) opined that the organism affects the environment and the environment affects the organism.

It is important to know that what is political communication. Political communication in general refers to a special process or methods through which a person or group informs another person or group about its attitude or view on a particular issue. Communication is usually done through language, written or verbal. The exchange of political related news or information and view points is called political communication. Government agents for political connections are the government’s law department, public relations department and government- controlled television etc. political parties play a significant role in making political connections. This political parties do not play a significant role in political connecting people with different abled. Political party is fail to generate their interest. So, differently abled person are lose interest in voting. Differently abled people are not considered as part of political affiliation by political parties.

Second, In recent years, the size of the electorate in countries has increased significantly, the complexity of government functions has increased and many different art techniques have been created in the field of populations control. For all these reasons the importance of mass media has increased. Through all these mediums the public gets expression of wishes, thoughts, grievances. Media does not portray differently abled people properly. That is why differently abled people are very isolated from the political mass connection.

Determinants of voting behaviours
Voting is a behavioural expression of enthusiasm or interest in political affairs. People are also motivated to give by political affiliation. There are various reasons for creating political enthusiasm. Many determinants are affected when a differently abled people votes. They are-

1. Party loyalty:- Electors are not always guided by the disproportionate thought of the larger national interest. The differently abled people are not excluded. Narrow party, groups, religious interests influence the electoral behaviours of peoples with differently abled. But in general it can be said that the electoral behaviours of individuals is mainly determined in terms of party loyalty. Party loyalty is influenced by various factors like as social class caste, religious, characteristics occupation and age variation etc.
2.  Political environment:- Interest in voting behaviour in political activities is partly dependent on the current political situation. If the competition for power in the country is open and if the competition is conducted on the basis of recognition and conventional norms, then the rate of voting behaviours in political activities is likely to be higher. If the government encourages differently abled people to vote and participate in other political activities and organizes positive initiatives in this regard, the rate of political participation is likely to increase. On the other hand, if the government discourages the participation of differently abled people in voting, then the rate of political participations will decrease.
3. Loneliness:- Differently abled people want to over-come loneliness and interact with others. Differently abled people satisfy these psychological needs through the process of voting behaviours. Their voting gives loneliness a chance to find other companions. Through voting and political participation deep connections are established between normal people and differently abled people. Voters share each other’s hopes, aspirations, feelings and grievances. A good bond harmony brother hood developed between them.
4. Be aware of the political environments:- The political environment in which differently abled people live threatens to be accurately informed this fear gratification motivates differently abled people to participate in political activities. The interest in understanding the meaning of the political environment in which individual live cannot be ignored. Differently abled people are consciously involved in voting participating and in whom this interest is absent, he becomes disinterested in participating in voting activities.
5. Emotional conflict and anxiety tensions:- Differently abled peoples often have to face various conflicts in the social and family spheres. All these problems in social family life create conflict and tension in the unconscious mind of the differently abled people. At the subconscious level of the mind this closed tension creates and indescribable pain. All these conflicting pains are left through political activities and voting. Voting exponds the unspoken inner conflict of differently abled peoples and this unspoken inner conflict results in difficulties in normalcy. The importance and significant of voting and also political participation is recognized in alleviating these emotional conflicts and anxiety. So, it can b e said that emotional closure anxiety tension affect and determine voting behaviours.    

Political Participation
In earlier days, political participation basically meant the citizens in the electoral process. In other words it can be said voting in elections, election campaigning, attending political meeting distributing political party leaflets, paying election money to parties, discussing votes etc. today many different post- election activities considered political participation. Activities related to influencing government discussion fall under political participation, and campaigning is the most obvious and widespread from of political participation. New activities increasingly included in political participation. Professor Ashraf, Ali and Sharma. L.N. has commented in his book “political sociology: a new grammar of politics” that –“ By now the concepts of political participation has been widened enough to included variety of ways in which citizens participate in relation varied issues”.

Milbrath, Lester. W (1965) in his book “Political Participation: How and Why do people get involved in politics” divides political participation into four categories-

1. Gladiatorial Activities:- Part of the routine work of a political party is to do gladiatorial activities. For example, collections of contesting candidates, collections as a nominated candidate, collection money for party funds, participating in party campaigns, trying to increase the number of party members.
2. Transitional Activities:- Transitional activities mainly refer to activities of political parties good will and supporters. For example, party members attend political party meetings as well wishers or neutral persons, maintain connections with political party leaders, pay party funds etc.
3. Spectator Activities:- There are certain political activities that are spectator activities like- voting, influence other voters, participating in political discussions, debates, wearing party flags, distributing party pamphlets etc.
4. Apathetic :- Those not associated with any political activities they are  called apathetic.

We can also divide political participation into two categories from the above discussion like –

1. Active political activities:- Those who participate in political activities by organizing initiatives when they can afford it are the most active political activities.
2. Passive Political Activities:- Individuals in society who do not or cannot actively participate in political affair. Individual of this category are called passive political activities. Their political activities are spectator activities.

Again, we can divide the political participation of the past trial into two parts –

1. Instrumental political participation:- In this case the participant has a present objective achieve a specific goal. Examples of such objectives are the success of a political party, the influence of a political party the enactment of a bill in the legislature etc.
2. Expressive Political Participation:- on the other hand does not have a specific purpose for the participant. There is a special kind of emotional satisfaction behind this kind of political participation. This can be said as an example of exercising voting rights only to gain satisfaction. In front of this class of voters, no contesting candidate or any political party has the objective of achieving success.

In the modern discussion of political participation activities, we can further divide two types of political participation. Like –

1. Support Participation:- Political activities that indicate support for the government are called support participation which indicates political support like attending meetings and processions, attending development activities etc.
2. Protest Participation:- Citizens can use various methods to coerce and intimidate the government like as protests, marches, demonstrations, riots, commotions, injuries and other violent activities. Such activity is called protest participation.

Voting Apathy

1. Feeling helpless in Politics:- Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness make people with differently abled disengage  from Political issues. Many Differently Abled peoples believe that Contemporary political parties are neither genuinely reformist nor progressive. There is no fundamental difference between the contesting political parties in the country. That is why they feel helpless and depressed. People with Different Abled tend to distance themselves from the political process. So, they think that getting political process and not joining him is the same as he will not have any influence on the existing political system and the system cannot be changed. They abstain from all political activities including voting. This is normal. Such deep rooted feelings of helplessness lead to political apathy of Different abled peoples.
2. Human Inferiority Complex:- A wide disparity is observed in the society in term of quality –status financial compatibility power disadvantage orientation. Differently abled people in the society are completely deprived of all these facilities. This deprivation creates a sense of inferiority among differently abled people. The current political system and also voting system is managed and controlled by the power, muscle power and corrupt practices. All these corrupt practices and the high- society behaviour of political leaders have led to inferiority among the differently abled peoples of the society. So, the keep themselves away from the political activities of the voting behaviour.
3. Fear of uneasiness with relative:- Differently abled people consciously stay away from political issues and political activities for fear of uneasiness with their families and relatives. Voting issues create tension between family, neighbours, friends and even husband-wife. Such tensions threaten the unity and cohesion of family life as well as group life. In order to prevent the emergency of such undesirable conditions, differently abled people consider it wise not to participate in voting activities.
4. Obstacles to success in life:- Differently Abled people consider active participation in politics as an obstacle to their livelihood. Differently abled peoples often become emotional in political discussions. It was attacked for speaking out against more political beliefs and loyalties. As a result, all those differently abled peoples may have to suffer. Differently Abled peoples feel that it is important not to be burden to anyone with their livelihood. Hence arises in them the right to openly express opinions and express allegiance on voting matter.
5. Political confusion:- Many differently abled peoples in society do not have a clear understanding of voting issues. Voting is a confusing and overly complicated even for people with differently abled. They are suffered from conflicting views on voting. Naturally, they become disinterested in participating in political activities and voting procedure.
6. Rewards in politics and uncertain and low:- Many differently abled peoples are guided by the notion that the rewards for participating in voting activities are uncertain and very low. They are spending time with family and relative provides a lot of psychological satisfaction. For them, participation in voting activities is one of the main causes of turmoil in life. Differently abled peoples abstain from voting activities because of this thought.             

Floating Voters
A common assumption in discussion of voting behaviour is that the voting behaviour of most voters is fairly stable. The voting behaviour of a small number of voters is variable. They are called “floating voters”. Party loyalties remain present despite tuning in Committed Voters.  But this is not the case among the committed Floating voters. According to the old liberal view, these Floating voters were thought to be open-minded, rational, objective and undecided. However, these voters are less politically aware than committed voters and reluctant to participate in political activities. Voters of floating voters are mostly less educated and less active in politics than committed supporters of political parties and public interest issues are less well involved.

Differently abled peoples fall within these voting behaviours. Because-

1. Floating voters are no less politically aware than committed voters.
2. A small number of floating voters does not change election results.
3. Much more uncertainty is present in voting behaviour than is thought.

Conclution
This journey has not been easy but it demonstrates that it is possible to provide holistic voting system to differently abled not only to include them in mainstream political society but also to enable them to enjoy a life of equality and dignity. Variables influencing the selection voting behaviour of differently abled individuals are varied. In this change variable too the spheres are again interrelated and interdependent. Sometimes some variable works inexplicably. This road is rough, the time is tough, but our zeal and commitment are immense. The election and voting behaviours policies of the Government have helped to create an infrastructure and attitude in the country to address the needs of differently abled people. The Government is committed to provide equal rights to differently abled peoples for election pattern and also voting system. There is also a need to promote academic discussions for determination of voting behaviours in the present inclusive set up. In the resent years may prove trying difficulties and problems will arise and voting behaviours may be slow and gradual. It is important to that if differently abled peoples can donate properly then India’s voting system will be effective. If we think about building a voting system that can accommodate greater human diversity, we have to be much more creative.

No one wants to know about the experiences of differently abled peoples. In the political system, it is absolutely necessary to create a suitable council to listen to them. We need to know individual and collective experiences trying to get to the bottom of voting system problems. Effective reform of the Voting system is only possible if the ethical and political scope is widened. No kindness, No mercy, the differently-abled must be treated with dignity. Let the work of increasing faith begin now. May the society’s compassionate mind be developed, the touch of sympathy and the expression of sincerity.

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[1] John Stuart Mill, “Considerations on Representative Government”, London, Parker, Son, & Bourn, West Strand, UK (1861), Chapter-x, Page-205.