Ahmedabad:
In a setback to Narendra Modi's much talked about compulsory voting bill, the Governor sends the bill back.
In a setback to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, state Governor Kamla has returned a bill seeking to make voting compulsory in the state on the ground that the legislation violates the Constitution and objecting to punishment clause for those choosing not to vote.
The bill was passed by Gujarat Assembly in December 2009.
Gujarat Assembly Speaker Ashok Bhatt said the bill was returned by the Governor a few days back.
Sources in the state Assembly secretariat said the Governor has raised two main objections while returning the bill.
"The main objection cited by the Governor is that the bill violates constitutional provision which does not allow voting to be made compulsory and that no punishment can be meted out for not participating in the exercise of voting," a senior official in the Assembly secretariat said.