Null Vote – The way to revolt!
I mentioned in my previous blog that people who do not go to cast their vote as corrupt. I will tell you why?
Many a person thinks that no person is good enough for his/her vote. Fine. But how will that person know, or how will Election Comission (and in turn India) will know that?
We don’t care to make sure that our voices are heard, and yet we blame ‘voting people’ for the pathetic situations around us. If any person has the capacity and ability to voice his concern, and yet doesn’t do that – Well then, to me, he is corrupt. And that’s why I call non voting people corrupt.
Fact is, at the end of the day we all are to be blamed, because we don’t know what Section 49(O) of Conduct of Election Rules of 1961 says:
“Elector deciding not to vote – If an elector, after his electoral roll number has been duly entered in the register of voters in Form 17 A and has put his signature or thumb impression thereon as required under sub-rule (1) of rule 49L, decided not to record his vote, a remark to this effect shall be made against the said entry in Form 17A by the presiding officer, and the signature or thumb impression of the elector shall be obtained against such remark. ”
Simply, section 49(O) means that any person who doesn’t want his vote to be casted, should go to the polling booth, convey the same to the polling booth officer. The person will make signatures in the voters register as well.
This is the way of making your voice heard.
However, if such votes aren’t cast only those votes which have been casted will be counted. So, basically it is me and people like me pushing myself in to the pathetic situation our country is today.
However I wonder, why mass media and intelligent minds don’t promote this rule.
Whatever their reasons, I think, this rule needs to come out from the books and into practice. Otherwise, soon there will be 30% votes cast, and people winning by 1 or 2 votes.
Will such wins be thrilling victories or will they make our futures chilling mysteries, it is up to us to decide.
Hey,I dont agree with you! Consider you workplace is far from ur home place and you have ur vote in ur home place! Will u go such far and cast a NULL Vote?????
Navneeth
27 Dec 06 at 8:43 am
What if all of them are corrupt? This type of situation generally happen in some parts in BIHAR where you have no choice or where you have to choose between worst & worst. Why to take the pain at all or why to even waste time in thinking about these silly issues.
Amit
28 Dec 06 at 2:31 am
I think if we want positive results we will be ready to spend time & travel any distance.
We will afford to watch a Movie in a very far away theater, even when we know that it is too expensive & will take time to travel there.
But we don’t go for voting which is every Indians’ RIGHT.
I do understand that everyone has their own point of view.But “Make the best utilization of the resources and get the best result” is what I believe.
Smile
28 Dec 06 at 6:20 am
Hey, i didnt really know this, its really informative and also very nice way to express your seriousness of the capabilities of the candidates.
I am sure if this is practiced seriously, atleast if few would show their seriousness, is enough to show their seriousness, then the media would take the remaining action into light.
krishna(vijay)
2 Jan 07 at 4:43 am
Hey..i completely agree with you on the fact that the null vote is an effective tool given to us because of a democratic setup and its our obligation/duty to use it to the fullest.
I have been spreading the word regarding this as i consider it my duty as a person who wants to join politics and as a student from a law school to make people aware of their legal and constitutional rights.
When i spoke to people in rural and urban areas regarding this, they said that since they had to sign their name in a book/register outside the booth, the workers of the contesting parties take note of the people excersicing the null vote and they use threat or coercive methods to change their opinions. Hence it is not the most viable or popular option either in rural or urban setups.
The election commission must provide the null vote as an option inside the polling booth where the voter is in isolation and cast his vote in the form of a secret ballot even if it is a null vote..
Hope this becomes an effective tool in the future to combat the sorry state of our political setups today..
JAI HIND!!
Prashanth
16 Apr 09 at 4:48 am