Ahemdabad:
The Narendra Modi government has passed a bill that makes it compulsory to vote during local body elections. It is obligatory for all residents to vote for the local body elections, including that of voting in municipal polls. The state government claims that the decision has been taken to encourage voting among people of the lower strata of society.
''When we make voting mandatory, the voter will become important and the political parties will have to address the concerns of all, not just region-specific voters," said Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
The new controversial bill that has been passed by the Gujarat Assembly last week makes voting compulsory in municipal, district, taluka and Panchayat polls.
A voter who does not turn up without adequate reason will be declared defaulter and will have to face punitive action. The defaulter may appeal against punishment, within one month.
This bill has triggered a national debate on whether voting can be made mandatory.
P. P. Rao, Constitutional Expert says, ''right to vote is a part of right to freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution. Right to speak includes right not to speak. Just like that you can't force a man to vote.''
At the heart of the argument against the bill is this: It's not practical to take action against hundreds and thousands of voters who may stay away and also have the right to appeal.
''A committee was formed at the national level earlier. They said it's not practical. About 30 countries have toyed with the concept. Most of them have withdrawn,'' says Shaktisinh Gohil Leader of Opposition, Gujarat Assembly.
''A regulator mechanism would be formed later by a committee. But my point is can't the people of this great nation take out just half an hour in five hours to exercise their right to vote?'' says Modi.
The Modi government is waiting to for the Governor's assent to the bill so that it can become a law. But it won't be as easy to enforce punitive action against defaulters because it will attract much greater scrutiny.