Editor,
The word ‘election’ comes from the Latin word ‘eligere’, which means ‘to choose’, ‘to select’, or ‘to pick’. ‘To elect’ or ‘to vote’ means ‘to select’ or ‘to make a choice’.
The word ‘voting’ is derived from the Latin word ‘votum’, meaning ‘to wish for’. Voting refers to the process of choosing or electing a candidate to run the government’s affairs, usually through a ballot.
In democratic India, general elections take place every five years. All those who are 18 years of age and above have a right to vote. A number of candidates seek election. They move from door to door. They hold public meetings and explain the programmes of their parties. If they get a majority of votes, they win; but if they do not, they lose.
An election, therefore, is like a battle. But this battle is fought in a peaceful way. It is a battle of ballots, not a battle of bullets.
Jubel D’Cruz,
Mumbai