The Compulsory Voting Bill, 2022, introduced in the Rajya Sabha by BJP state president cum Rajya Sabha member Deepak Prakash, has been recommended by President Draupadi Murmu for consideration under clause 3 of Article 117 of the Constitution of India. Information to this effect has been made available by Ashish Desh Raj, Under Secretary, Rajya Sabha Secretariat, by sending a letter to the State president, MP Deepak Prakash.
It is noteworthy that this bill was introduced by Deepak Prakash in Rajya Sabha on July 22, 2022 this year.
In this regard, Prakash said that there is a demand for compulsory polling time in the country. It is generally seen that the voting percentage is not expected in various elections held in the country. Despite all the efforts of the government, the average voter turnout is hardly 60 per cent. In such a situation, there is a need for such a bill to make voting compulsory for all the citizens of the country. Many countries such as Argentina, Australia, Chile, Fiji, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Mexico, Uruguay, Turkey are where voting is compulsory for all voters.
In order to make voting compulsory, there is a provision for punishment for those who do not vote and incentives for those who vote even in difficult circumstances. The voter who does not vote is subject to confiscation of ration card as fine of Rs 500 or imprisonment for two days. At the same time, the provision of punishment of withholding of salary of 10 days or delay in promotion by 2 years has been mentioned for the government employees not participating in the voting without any reason. In the form of incentive, the matter of special exemption in jobs etc. is mentioned to the concerned voter as a citizen if he joins the vote in spite of illness/disability.
On earlier occasions too demand for compulsory voting has been made. In 2019, BJP MP Janardhan Singh ‘Sigriwal’ had demanded compulsory voting. However, the then minister has rejected the demand. Observing that voting is a right, not a duty, then Minister of State for Law and Justice S P Singh Baghel had said that the idea of compulsory voting is against principles of democracy. Baghel had said that if some people are not eager to cast their votes, they cannot be forced to do so.
Baghel mentioned that the Gujarat Assembly had passed a resolution making voting compulsory, but it was stayed by the High Court.
