CM afraid of losing in 2010 local elections

Critics of Modi’s recent move to make voting compulsory say it is a political gimmick to ensure voters ‘disenchanted with BJP’ turn up

DILIP PATEL

Who will gain from the compulsory voting system? Critics of Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s recent move to make voting compulsory say — BJP will be the only beneficiary.
The Gujarat Assembly on Saturday passed the Gujarat Local Authorities (Amendment) Bill, 2009, making voting in local elections mandatory. It also cleared way for 50 per cent reservation for women in local bodies.
However, political pundits and the Congress termed the legislation to make voting compulsory in local bodies as an “act of fear and caution” before the local bodies elections in 2010. According to political pundits, BJP may find it tough to lure disenchanted voters to the polling booth considering the lack of work done in local self-governing bodies. And with around 3.5 crore voters in various local bodies in the state to go to vote in seven municipal corporations, 225 taluka panchayats, 167 municipalities and 27 district panchayats between September and December 2010, the BJP is not willing to take any chances. “Any loss in these elections will erode the popularity of the chief minister,” a leader said.

VOTING BILL WILL FACE CONSTITUTIONAL HURDLE

A Congress leader claimed that the decision has been taken for two reasons. “The BJP has failed to deliver in the governance of local self bodies and may suffer reverses if the disenchanted voter does not vote. And second, the chief minister is fond of such gimmicks and publicity stunts to stay in the news at the national level.”
Given the majority that the BJP enjoys in the state Legislative Assembly, the legislation has become a law, but it is likely to face Constitutional hurdles. Former chief minister Suresh Mehta, an expert in Parliamentary laws, said, “The Bill cannot stand legal and Constitutional scrutiny because voting, as per the Constitution, is “voluntary”. The Constitution will have to be amended if the Bill is to be legislated. The Bill faces the prospect of being returned by the President for the same reason.” Congress spokesperson Arjun Modhwadia said, “Congress has die-hard voters. They will go and vote, law or no law. Compulsory voting law hardly makes a difference to Congress in the state. It is the BJP voter that is disenchanted with them. Past trends show that whenever the voting percentage is poor in local self bodies, the BJP has lost. That is why the chief minister has created an environment to compel the BJP voter to vote. It is the BJP that will gain out of this law.”

FORCE HAS NO PLACE IN A DEMOCRACY

HEAD OF the political science department in MS university Prof Priyavadan Patel is not in favour of this piece of legislation. “Such a legislation should be preceded by a “none of the above” legislation where a voter can convey that none of the candidates are worthy of his vote. Moreover, there cannot be a compulsion or force in a democracy. Awareness should be created to make a citizen responsible enough to vote.” Prof Patel added that political calculations are always there in every such legislation. “Even the act to lower the age of voting during the Rajiv Gandhi era was to get more votes.”