Idea of compulsory voting not practical: CEC Nasim Zaidi

Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi said on Wednesday that the idea of compulsory voting has not been found to be practical. A similar demand was rejected by the government in Lok Sabha. Mr Zaidi also stated that the EC will take a call on the dates of Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Manipur and Uttarakhand after close scrutiny of the security situation.

“Issue of compulsory voting as prevalent in some countries has been a matter of discussion. We found the idea not so practical. But we will like to hear,” he said while addressing an international conference on voter awareness.

In February, while responding to a private member’s bill introduced in the Lok Sabha on compulsory voting, the then law minister, D.V. Sadananda Gowda, had said though he appreciated the intention of the members, it would not be possible for the government to introduce compulsory voting and penalise those who failed to exercise their franchise.

The Law Commission in its report on electoral reforms submitted in March had also decided against recommending compulsory voting by terming it “highly undesirable” for a variety of reasons, including that it was undemocratic, illegitimate, expensive, difficult to implement and that it would not improve the quality of political participation and awareness.

Later, responding to a question by reporters on holding simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, Mr Zaidi said the Election Commission has told a parliamentary committee and the law ministry that such an exercise can be undertaken once political parties are unanimous in amending the Constitution and the poll panel’s certain demands, like buying new EVMs, are met.

Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Mr Zaidi said that the EC will take a call on the dates of Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Manipur and Uttarakhand, due early next year, based on inputs provided by security forces and state law and order machinery. He said the schedule will be finalised keeping in mind the weather and examination schedule.

“We are trying to assess the requirement of security forces, climate and exam schedule — all these inputs are being taken into consideration. Only then we will be able to say whether they will be staggered or multi-phase,” the CEC said. “As far as the schedule is concerned, the Commission has not given a thought as yet,” he added.

While the term of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly ends in May next, the terms of the Assemblies of Punjab, Goa, Manipur and Uttarakhand end in March 2017.