Imprisonment for not Voting

A bill proposing compulsory voting was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Friday by a Congress member, a suggestion recently made by Bharatiya Janata Party leader L K Advani .

The Compulsory Voting Bill, 2009, introduced by Delhi Pradesh Congress chief J P Agarwal seeks to make voting compulsory for every voter who is eligible to vote in an election called for by the Election Commission.

It also proposes a fine of Rs 500 or two days' imprisonment or forfeiture of the ration card of the person who fails to cast his vote.

The bill seeks to deduct 10 days' salary and delay promotion for a period of two years of a government servant who fails to exercise his franchise.

The draft legislation seeks to incentivise voting by proposing to give preference to persons in government jobs and admission in institutions of higher education if they exercise their franchise for 15 years without a break.

The bill seeks to exempt a person from voting if he is physically incapacitated because of illness of a serious nature.

Advani had mooted the idea of making voting compulsory and having fixed terms for legislatures and Parliament about two months back.

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TWO DAYS' IMPRISONMENT if not voted??
Why would any body be compelled to vote,if he does not want to vote?

If we are talking about 'forcing' some body to do some thing which he does not want to do,then this is obviously an infringement on his 'Freedom of Expression.

Some people may not want to vote,due to various reasons.One of the prime reason could be the fact that the candidates contesting in their constituency may not be good enough or might be from a criminal background..!
In such cases,people should have the option of not voting..

Some might say that, to cover such a scenario,there should be an option in the voting machine for registering a no-confidence vote against the candidates.But even then for registering such a vote,why should a reluctant voter go all the way to the voting booth,he might very well decide not to vote..!!

Any way the the proposed bill, with punishment of a fine of Rs 500 or two days' imprisonment or forfeiture of the ration card or a deduction of 10 days' salary and delay promotion for a period of two years of a government servant,is a farce..

The Delhi Pradesh Congress chief J P Agarwal seems to be out of his mind..
It's better for the Congress Part to get his head checked for coming out with such an Utopian bill,especially the proposed punishments suggested..!!


Let me say I am a person who has voted in all elections from the time I was eligible to vote.In this post,I am just expressing my humble view that nobody in our Country should be forced to do some thing which he does not want to do by threatening to impose punishments..!


A punishment proposal for not voting will surely give a bad impression about our Vibrant Democracy to the outside world.It will look as if Indians are voting fearing punishment and not out of our own free will..

Hope this Bill will end up in it's rightful place -- In The Dustbin.