People divided over compulsory voting

The Ahmedabad-based Research Foundation for Governance India (RGFI) organised the informal meet of 30-odd students and young professionals at Zen Café near Gujarat University,after e-invitations were circulated about two weeks ago.

Some of those participating in the debate supported the Bill.

Apoorv Shah,a student of Gujarat National Law University (GNLU),said he thought compulsory voting “is good for now”,but that there was a lot of scope for corruption and that checks had to be included for the election officers,who would verify the alibis of those who did not vote.

Abhay Shukla,who is awaiting his CAT results,supported the Bill as it would put adult franchise back on the radar of the middle-class citizenry.

“The lower and less-educated classes are often bribed by politicians,and the middle-class gets disillusioned into not voting as they are a minority. Compulsory voting will make them interested again,even if involuntarily,and will be in their benefit,” he added.

Others remained adamant that the right to vote cannot be made a compulsory duty. They advocated the concept of “having the right to not exercise a right.”

Rahul Brahmbhatt,who works with an NGO in the city,said: “If you make voting compulsory,then very soon a lot of other things will be made compulsory. Where does democracy go then? Voting should be encouraged,not made compulsory. Talk about educating the voter,not forcing the voter.”

In an article distributed at the event,RFGI said: “It is disappointing that the Bill was passed largely free of opposition in the state Assembly,and if punishments for non-voters are ever discussed we hope all MLAs take a thorough look at the legislation and its potential consequences.”

It said further,“If we think that ‘voting with your feet’ by avoiding the polling booth is an act of Freedom of Expression,then we must oppose this criminalisation of not voting.”