Gujarat gets it wrong: Compulsory voting is patronising and undemocratic
10 years, 4 months ago

Gujarat gets it wrong: Compulsory voting is patronising and undemocratic

Firstpost  

A new law wants to make voting compulsory in low-level elections in Gujarat. That’s why while the idea of compulsory voting sounds like an attractive short-cut by fiat to a more representative democracy. “Why doesn’t the government first make it compulsory for MPs to vote and then force common citizens to follow suit?” challenges Jagdeep S Chokhar of the Association for Democratic Reforms. They do not address the fundamental guiding principle at stake – whether a liberal democracy has any business herding its citizens into a voting booth and forcing them to vote even if it’s supposedly in their own interest. Former Chief Election Commissioner T S Krishnamurthy says on NDTV ’s Left, Right and Centre that if the goal is to increase turnout it is “worthwhile introducing it at the local level to improve people’s awareness in civic matters”.

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History of this topic

Voting a choice, cannot make it mandatory: Delhi High Court
2 years ago

Voting a choice, cannot make it mandatory: Delhi High Court

Hindustan Times  

Voting is a right and a choice for people and constitutional courts cannot force citizens to vote, the Delhi high court said on Friday as it refused to entertain a plea by Bharatiya Janata Party leader and lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay to make voting mandatory in Parliamentary and assembly elections. The petitioner said compulsory voting has been successfully implemented in countries …

‘We Are Not Lawmakers, It’s People’s Choice’: Delhi High Court Refuses To Entertain PIL Seeking Compulsory Voting In Elections
2 years ago

‘We Are Not Lawmakers, It’s People’s Choice’: Delhi High Court Refuses To Entertain PIL Seeking Compulsory Voting In Elections

Live Law  

The Delhi High Court on Friday refused to entertain a public interest litigation moved by Advocate and BJP leader Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay for compulsory voting in the Parliament and State Assembly elections for increase in voter turnout and political participation.A division bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad said that voting is a right and the …

PIL In Delhi High Court Seeks Compulsory Voting In Parliament, State Assembly Elections To Increase Voter Turnout
2 years ago

PIL In Delhi High Court Seeks Compulsory Voting In Parliament, State Assembly Elections To Increase Voter Turnout

Live Law  

Advocate and BJP leader Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay has filed a public interest litigation before Delhi High Court for compulsory voting in the Parliament and State Assembly elections for increase in voter turnout and political participation.Upadhyay has also prayed that Law Commission of India be asked to examine various Supreme Court rulings on the right to vote and prepare a report …

Nasim Zaidi says compulsory voting regime not feasible in India due to huge population
7 years, 8 months ago

Nasim Zaidi says compulsory voting regime not feasible in India due to huge population

Firstpost  

Stating that the number of voters in India is increasing, Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi said a compulsory voting regime is not feasible New Delhi: Stating that the number of voters in India is increasing, Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi on Saturday said a compulsory voting regime is not feasible to improve it further. Compulsory voting system can help increase …

Gujarat High Court halts State Govt.'s move to make Voting Compulsory
9 years, 7 months ago

Gujarat High Court halts State Govt.'s move to make Voting Compulsory

Live Law  

The Gujarat High Court has stayed until further orders, the decision of the Government to introduce compulsory voting in the local body election, which is going to be held in October this year. "The 'right to vote' itself provides right to refrain from voting and it cannot be turned into 'duty of voting'" the division bench of Chief Justice Jayant …

Voting cannot be made compulsory since as it would violate right of freedom of speech and expression.: EC says to SC
9 years, 8 months ago

Voting cannot be made compulsory since as it would violate right of freedom of speech and expression.: EC says to SC

Live Law  

The Election Commission has filed an affidavit expressing its stance in response to a public interest litigation that wants a direction to the commission to frame new guidelines making voting mandatory. The commission said right to vote was not a fundamental right but statutory.“The decision taken by the voter after verifying the credentials of the candidate either to vote or …

Voting cannot be made compulsory since as it would violate right of freedom of speech and expression.: EC says to SC
9 years, 8 months ago

Voting cannot be made compulsory since as it would violate right of freedom of speech and expression.: EC says to SC

Live Law  

The Election Commission has filed an affidavit expressing its stance in response to a public interest litigation that wants a direction to the commission to frame new guidelines making voting mandatory. The commission said right to vote was not a fundamental right but statutory.“The decision taken by the voter after verifying the credentials of the candidate either to vote or …

Gujarat to introduce compulsory voting in local body polls: CM |IndiaTV News
9 years, 9 months ago

Gujarat to introduce compulsory voting in local body polls: CM |IndiaTV News

India TV News  

Gujarat to introduce compulsory voting in local body polls: CM Rajkot/Ahmedabad: Gujarat will introduce compulsory voting in the upcoming local bodies polls, which are likely to be held in October, and the process of framing rules for default voters is underway. "We are in the process Rajkot/Ahmedabad: Gujarat will introduce compulsory voting in the upcoming local bodies polls, which are …

Compulsory voting in Gujarat: Why the "liberals" are wrong on this one
10 years, 4 months ago

Compulsory voting in Gujarat: Why the "liberals" are wrong on this one

Firstpost  

Deepening democracy needs an openness to try out new ways to get people to participate. Compulsory voting is one such way, and it needs to be tested and tried before being rejected as an option The Gujarat bill providing for compulsory voting and 50 percent reservation for women in local bodies, a 2009 legislation that was recently okayed for enactment …

Voting to be compulsory during Gujarat's 2015 local body polls
10 years, 4 months ago

Voting to be compulsory during Gujarat's 2015 local body polls

India TV News  

Ahmedabad: Compulsory voting would be implemented for the first time during Gujarat's local body elections scheduled for next year, a state minister said today. "The Gujarat Local Authorities Law Amendment Bill will be implemented in the local body polls, which will be held in mid-2015," Gujarat Health Minister Nitin Patel said. Voters who fail to vote in local body polls, …

Will you jail those who don't vote? EC Brahma slams Gujarat's compulsory vote
10 years, 4 months ago

Will you jail those who don't vote? EC Brahma slams Gujarat's compulsory vote

Firstpost  

The Gujarat government’s decision to make voting compulsory in local bodies election has not gone down well with the Election Commission, with Commissioner HS Brahma saying the decision ‘may not be correct’. On Sunday, Gujarat became the first state in the country where voters will have to compulsorily exercise their franchise in local body polls with new Governor OP Kohli …

Advani bats for compulsory voting
13 years, 1 month ago

Advani bats for compulsory voting

The Hindu  

BJP parliamentary party chairman L.K. Advani on Thursday advocated for introduction of “compulsory voting” in the country also saying it was not impossible to bring in such a legislation. He also supported the Election Commission’s move to achieve cent per cent voters’ enrolment and wanted the EC to ensure that all the registered voters cast their ballot. "What is more …

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