Gujarat Election Commission mulls on-line voting: Time for 'Right To Reject' with proper checks

Gandhinagar:Gujarat Election Commission is mulling and working towards on-line voting in forthcoming municipal elections. If experimented successfully, it can be implemented gradually nationwide. But real reforms for ensuring larger voter-turnout and also  better candidates can only be by converting ‘None-Of-The-Above’ (NOTA) into ‘Right-To-Reject’ (RTR) with a rider.

Most people who do not go to vote do so because they do not find any candidate fit for being voted. ‘None-To-The-Above’ (NOTA) is simply of theoretical value with no practical result on election-results. Even if NOTA gets maximum votes, then also candidate next to NOTA is declared elected. At times, voters are forced to select best out of the worst candidates in absence of ‘Right-To-Reject’ (RTR).

Best is to convert NOTA into ‘Right-To-Reject’ (RTR), where re-election may be held in case NOTA gets maximum votes with all candidates getting votes less than NOTA being disqualified for life to contest any election in future. However to avoid chain of re-elections because of NOTA getting maximum votes every time, NOTA-button may be disabled in case of re-election caused because of NOTA getting maximum votes. ‘Right-To-Reject’ (RTR) will make political parties put good persons as their candidates. ‘Right-To-Reject’ (RTR) should be implemented at all levels including for elections to Lok Sabha, state-assemblies and local bodies (civic-bodies and village-panchayats).

Instead of giving 50-percent reservation to women in local bodies, 33-perecent Women-Reservation should be at all levels from Lok Sabha to local bodies including state-assemblies. Election Commission’s formula making political parties compulsorily field at least 33-percent women candidates state-wise is the best compromise formula.