By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: A group of activists has sought guidelines from the Election Commission of India for invoking ‘right not to vote’ in the upcoming Assembly elections in Meghalaya by using Section 49(O) in the conduct of Elections Rules, 1961.
In a letter submitted to Chief Electoral Officer P Naik here on Thursday, the activists Angela Rangad, Tarun Bhartiya, CSWO President Agnes Kharshiing and some church representatives among others said, “Right not to vote is demanded to publicly express our dissatisfaction with the limited range of democratic options available before us.”
“As per 49-O voters will need to show up at the polling station, have their finger marked with indelible ink and demand for form 17 A which is the register maintained at all booths and fill up their name, signature or thumb impression and make a remark in the remark column that they do not want to cast their vote. This in itself is a valid vote and has to be counted. The voters do not need to go to the EVM and should refrain and cannot be forced to press any of the buttons there after filling in the register,” the activists said.
When contacted Naik said the right not to vote is yet to be made effective as it is still pending with the Centre for a final decision.
As of now, there is no option in the EVMs which can be used by people to exercise their right not to vote for any candidate, Naik said.
However, the voters can come out of the polling booths if they do not want to cast their votes.
“We will only register their names and there is no compulsion on the part of the undecided voters to cast votes”, he added. The official, however, added there is a clear cut difference between the ‘right not to vote’ which is yet to be implemented by the Election Commission and the aspect of ‘undecided to vote’.
Earlier, during their meeting with Naik, the activists also demanded CEO to make all necessary preparations at various polling booths besides proper training of presiding officers and other election staff so that electors who choose not to vote do not face any inconvenience.
However, members of some political parties said that the NGOs who raise these issues should contest the elections and win so that people will have more trust in democratic way of elections. The activists also wanted the election department in the state to disclose a detailed breakdown of all the expenses it has undertaken in the last five years with bills, vouchers and tenders.