<story><title>How India’s massive 2019 election will work</title><url>https://qz.com/1570687/how-indias-massive-2019-election-will-work/</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>elpool2</author><text>How do the people buying votes make sure that the voter is voting the way they want? Do they not have a secret ballot?</text></item><item><author>pradn</author><text>The mechanics of the actual election seem to be decent enough. But there is rampant vote buying in many areas. I&amp;#x27;ve personally seen liquor handed out for votes. Money, clothing, and alcohol are commonly used to purchase votes in many rural areas. Last I heard, it cost something like like 1000-3000 RS ($15-40) per head in rural Andhra Pradesh.&lt;p&gt;FT article from 2014:
&lt;a href=&quot;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;www.ft.com&amp;#x2F;content&amp;#x2F;a9d35821-f2f1-3479-8082-2ce1e6fa79cf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;www.ft.com&amp;#x2F;content&amp;#x2F;a9d35821-f2f1-3479-8082-2ce1e6fa7...&lt;/a&gt;</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>_mdlf</author><text>I&amp;#x27;ve seen religious tactics applied effectively for this,&lt;p&gt;The potential voter is asked to swear over a religious artifact after receiving the money (bribe).&lt;p&gt;e.g. For Hindu voters, a plate with oil lamp, an idol, a mixture of auspicious powder is used.The voter should swear over it that they will vote for that particular candidate.&lt;p&gt;Elections are the main reason, politicians ensure religious superstitions flourish in India inspite of evil practices like casteism, sharia etc. Even when India&amp;#x27;s constitution is godless &amp;amp; secular (amended).&lt;p&gt;Thanks to really noble people behind India&amp;#x27;s constitution.</text></comment>
<story><title>How India’s massive 2019 election will work</title><url>https://qz.com/1570687/how-indias-massive-2019-election-will-work/</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>elpool2</author><text>How do the people buying votes make sure that the voter is voting the way they want? Do they not have a secret ballot?</text></item><item><author>pradn</author><text>The mechanics of the actual election seem to be decent enough. But there is rampant vote buying in many areas. I&amp;#x27;ve personally seen liquor handed out for votes. Money, clothing, and alcohol are commonly used to purchase votes in many rural areas. Last I heard, it cost something like like 1000-3000 RS ($15-40) per head in rural Andhra Pradesh.&lt;p&gt;FT article from 2014:
&lt;a href=&quot;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;www.ft.com&amp;#x2F;content&amp;#x2F;a9d35821-f2f1-3479-8082-2ce1e6fa79cf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;www.ft.com&amp;#x2F;content&amp;#x2F;a9d35821-f2f1-3479-8082-2ce1e6fa7...&lt;/a&gt;</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>senthil_rajasek</author><text>Elections are a recurring event. I cannot prove it but it&amp;#x27;s behavioral training. People seem to vote for whoever gives them the best &amp;quot;incentive&amp;quot;. I hesitate to call it a bribe because in other countries they call it &amp;quot;tax relief&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;student loan forgiveness&amp;quot; etc.,</text></comment>