power of not to vote...SEc.49-O

Hello friends.

Apparently its true as per this press circular from Election Commission of India.

7. Negative / neutral voting

The Commission has received proposals from a very large number of individuals and organizations that there should be provision enabling a voter to reject all the candidates in the constituency if he does not find them suitable. In the voting using the conventional ballot paper and ballot boxes, an elector can drop the ballot paper without marking his vote against any of the candidates, if he chooses so. However, in the voting using the Electronic Voting Machines, such a facility is not available to the voter. Although, Rule 49 O of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961 provides that an elector may refuse to vote after he has been identified and necessary entries made in the Register of Electors and the marked copy of the electoral roll, the secrecy of voting is not protected here inasmuch as the polling officials and the polling agents in the polling station get to know about the decision of such a voter.

The Commission recommends that the law should be amended to specifically provide for negative / neutral voting. For this purpose, Rules 22 and 49B of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961 may be suitably amended adding a proviso that in the ballot paper and the particulars on the ballot unit, in the column relating to name of candidates, after the entry relating to the last candidate, there shall be a column “None of the above” , to enable a voter to reject all the candidates, if he chooses so. Such a proposal was earlier made by the Commission in 2001 (vide letter dated

10.12.2001).

(A petition by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties seeking such a provision filed at the time of the recent general elections is pending before the Hon’ble Supreme Court)

Such a provision should be utilized now when all of our govt officials are only seeking their own political interests rather than thinking of india as a whole.

i urge to my countrymen that we all should take an initiative to fight against our own politicians and corrupted officers because of whom normal and innocent people loose their lives.

"forgiving terrorists is the lookout of god, but fixing their appointment with god is our responsibility"

-Author Unknown.

Regards.

Rahul Gupta

Its quite alright that the Indian constitution has provided with the "not to vote option" but I believe, that's not the correct way in a democratic country like India. We should behave responsibly for the betterment of our present & future generations.