New Delhi: The debate on Gujarat making voting compulsory is picking up. The Election Commission believes the “proposal” is "impracticable" but has not rejected it and a Union Minister wants a debate.
"Such proposals had come up for discussion in the Commission on many occasions earlier--for India (but) it is full of difficulties. We also consider that democracy and compulsion do not go hand-in-hand," said Election Commissioner SY Quraishi on Tuesday.
Quraishi said 40 per cent of the 714 million voters in the country do not, but educating and encouraging voters, particularly the youth, is a better option.
"It is a good idea, a noble idea, a welcome move but whether this is implementable in places like India is a big question mark," said former senior Election Commission official KJ Rao.
Rao noted that 13 of the 32 countries, which have made voting compulsory, were not enforcing the law and suggested that a voter awareness campaign could be more effective.
Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad on Monday supported the Gujarat government’s law and said it should be applied in parliamentary elections too. “The vote percentage is slipping and this is a matter of concern. It should be made mandatory,” said Prasad in New Delhi.
BJP leaders Venkaiah Naidu and S S Ahluwalia congratulated the Narendra Modi government for the compulsory voting law, but the Government reacted cautiously.
"Compulsory voting is a good thing and it should happen," said Union Coal Minister Sri Prakash Jaiswal outside Parliament. He though said any decision should not be hurried and the Election Commission consulted for it.
"What will happen if people do not want to vote for those who are in the fray"? he said.
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