The Fine Print Issue 2, August 2013 - Election special

ISSUE 2, SEMESTER 1, 2013 PILANI, WEDNES DAY, 21 AUGUST EPC.BITS-STUDENT.ORG Semi-Column Voting Guidelines With elections drawing closer, each and every student is encouraged to exercise his/her right to suffrage, but to do so responsibly. So as to guide those new to the system, the English Press Club attempts to outline some major points that can be kept in mind while voting for a particular candidate. (...continued on page.2) ELECTION SPECIAL ISSUE Auditorium Debate raises further questions The buzz surrounding the SU election boiled to the brim at the Auditorium Debate where the seven-member Election Commission panel took to scrutinizing the feasibility of the candidates’ manifesto points. The evening witnessed quite a few proposals that summoned cynical inquiries from the panel and uncharacteristic instances of tempers flaring on stage. Overall, the panel seemed to be making a conscious effort to avoid continuously grilling the candidates on their manifesto, rather aiding them in clarifying their notions. As the modus operandi goes, each candidate, two running for President and four for General Secretary, was allowed two minutes to address the audience, and express the essence of his ideology and/or manifesto. Thereafter, the EC panel commenced the questions – analyzing the need for a manifesto point and probing its implementation. The opening question concerned the digitalized notices proposed by Sri Krishna. Despite much debate, the questions about the installation of MagicInfo enabled ‘LCD’ screens in the messes hung in limbo, with Sri Krishna seemingly unable to understand the question and instead rattling off a prepared explanation of the manifesto point as a whole. The implementation of the online outstation forms sparked a fiery debate, while the e-governance forum lacked a backend plan. The ‘Club for Indian Public Affairs’ initiative, however - a progressive step in the fields of public policy and government affairs - received a positive response from the discerning panel. All in all, Sri Krishna, cheered on by a fervent gang, managed, albeit precariously, to hold his own in the hail of scrutiny. The series of questions to Aditya Bhatt, the second presidential candidate, began with the proposed book bank. With statistics given and machinery explained, the panel moved on to the subject of the next query – the meal cancellation service. While analysis showed that the ‘pay per meal’ service would, au contraire, increase the cost of meals (when compared the consolidated meals), a spectator also voiced doubts regarding the imminent chaos due to the turnstiles. An EC panel member pointed out how an incorrect detail in his plans would deem not one but two of his plans redundant. There was some inconsistency with respect to the sanction for setting up a redi in Meera Bhawan (Gen Sec candidate Vaibhav Singh was questioned on the same). All things considered, Aditya Bhatt adequately dealt with the string of meticulous queries. The panel underlined the fact that every candidate running for the post of General Secretary was ardent on the online presence of the SU, aspiring to impose changes in the structure and function of the same. Amongst the usual plethora of plans to create frameworks for grievance forums, hasslefree mess signings, mentorship and intern programs that the candidates boasted of in their manifestos, there were a few audacious ones that caught the eye of the panel. The most striking of all was the proposal by Vaibhav Singh for a Right to Information Act that would divulge data with reference to the working of the SU to any student, which offered great promise in the onset, though it didn’t manage to gain the panel’s trust with regard to its efficacy. He also couldn’t stomach why the panel was apprehensive about a particular point that had (according to the panel) only his campaigners’ and supporters’ word as proof, leading to yet another bout of quibbling. In the final round, the panel did praise his proposed attempt to enable ID card transactions in Akshay. It has to be pointed out that Aakash Chandra’s scheme to setup cycle sheds near the LTC and the Library didn’t seem to strike the right note. However, his idea of instilling vending machines in the campus was something well applauded by the panel. In the wake of the regulation prohibiting posters in the institution buildings, the concept of employing the “Bluetooth proximity Marketing Device” to circulate notices devised by Shashank Bhadora gained the panel’s approval. The candidate, however, lacked the groundwork and logistics to back his idea of lending BITSAA cycles on a daily basis. Though the RACE Foundation’s earn-as-you-learn program put forth by Nikhil Kumar Jha earned criticism on account of the fact that it was too trivial a manifesto point, the candidate earned points with his Dexterity Global Enterprise that promised internships and mentorship suites. In contrast to the past years, the EC laid out a final remark which appreciated the innovative points in each candidate’s manifesto. To put it in simple terms, the evening was a stark reminder of how the standing panel of the Election Commission lacked the incisive edge which some candidates surely managed to get the better of. The exodus of people who flocked to the auditorium might have been introspective of the same as they erupted into periodic rumbles (though mostly owing the bands of crusaders) to keep the debate in vogue. Nevertheless, it was a relief that the panel didn’t force the issue of candidates beating around the bush. It refused to engage in prolonged and futile criticism of empty offerings floated by the candidates. With the polling a good five days away, the Audi debate has offered us a valuable and fairly holistic perspective of those running for office. Be sure to do your part: evolve a personal stance, exercise your right and may the best candidates assume command. Presidential Candidates speak Sri Krishna and Aditya Bhatt, contenders for the post of President of the Students’ Union, obliged in seemingly jovial spirits, when we from the EPC approached them for an interview. Read on for excerpts from the two interviews. (continued on page 3) General Secretary Candidates speak The English Press Club went around campus, tracked down all the four General Secretary candidates and spoke to them about their hopes, expectations, and preparation for Election 2013. (continued on page 4) Mess Matters Frequently asked questions answered: What does each one of the stakeholders– SSMS, Sodexo, Institute, Mess workers do? Why hasn’t food quality improved? What about ANC? What is the Mess Basic? All this and more on Page 6 Over here! Hate mail or fan mail, we welcome all kinds of feedback. You could even write for us in the future. Send us a mail at [email protected] or drop a message on our Facebook account ‘The Fine Print Online’.