தறபோது இந்தியா முழுவதும் பாராளுமன்றத தேர்தல்காக காத்துக்கொண்டிருக்கிறோம். இந்த தேர்தலில்
ஒரு புதிய முறையை தேர்தல் ஆணை யம் புகுத்தியுள்ளது. அது தான் நோட்டா
(NOTA) இதன் விரிவாக்கம் NONE OF THE ABOVE என்பதாகும். வாக்காளர்கள்
ஓட்டுப் போடும்போது வாக்கு எந்திரத்தில் குறிப்பிடப்பட்டிருக்கும்
வேட்பாளர்கள் யாருக்கும் ஓட்டளிக்க விரும்ப வில்லை என்றால் வாக்கு
எந்திரத்தின் கடைசியாக இருக்கும் நோட்டா என்ற சின்னத்தில் வாக்களிக்கலாம்.
ஒரு
வேளை இந்த நோட்டா வெற்றி பெற்றால், அத்தொகுதியின் பாராளுமன்ற உறுப்பினர்
யார் என்று குழப்பம் வரும். அதனால் அதற்கு அடுத்ததாக அதாவது இரண்டாவது
இடத்தில் எந்த வேட்பாளர் இருக்கிறாரோ அந்த வேட்பாளரே வெற்றி பெற்றவராவார்.
என்று தேர்தல் ஆணையம் கூறுகிறது.
இதில் வேட்பாளர்களை நிராகரித் துவிட்டு வாக்காளர்கள் நோட்டா விற்கு வாக்களித்த வாக்காளர்களுக்கு இது பெருத்த ஏமாற்றம் தான்.
எந்த
வாக்காளர்களும் திருப்தி இல்லை என்றுதானே வாக்காளர்கள் இவர்களை
ஒட்டுமொத்தமாக நிராகரித்துவிட்டு நோட்டாவிற்கு வாக்களித்தார்கள்.
அப்படி இருக்கும் போது வாக்களார்கள் நிராகரித்த வேட்பாளர்களில் ஒரு வரை
பாராளுமன்ற உறுப்பின ராக தெரிவு செய்வது எந்த விதத்தில் நியாயம். இது வாக்களித்த வாக்காளர்களுக்கு ஏமாற்றம்தான்.
நோட்டா
வெற்றி பெற்றால் அத்தொகுதியில் போட்டியிட்ட அத்தனை வேட்பாளர்களுக்கும்
அவர்களது வாழ்நாள் முழுக்க வேறு எந்த தேர்தலில்களிலும் போட்டியிடுவதற்கு
ஆயுட்கால தடை விதிக்கவேண்டும்.
தடை விதித்த கையோடு அத்தொகுதியில் முன்பு போட்டியிட்ட வேட்பாளர்களைத் தவிர்த்து வேறு புதிய வேட்பாளர்களை வேட்பு மனுக்களை தாக்கல் செய்யச் சொல்லி அத்தொகுதியில் மறுதேர்தல் நடத்தலாம்.
தடை விதித்த கையோடு அத்தொகுதியில் முன்பு போட்டியிட்ட வேட்பாளர்களைத் தவிர்த்து வேறு புதிய வேட்பாளர்களை வேட்பு மனுக்களை தாக்கல் செய்யச் சொல்லி அத்தொகுதியில் மறுதேர்தல் நடத்தலாம்.
இப்படி செய்யும்போது மக்களால் நிராகரிக்கப்பட்ட அதாவது தகுதி இழந் த வேட்பாளர்கள், ஆட்சிக்கு வந்து, ஊழல், லஞசம், வன்முறை போன்றவை முற்றிலும் கட்டுப்படுத்தப்படும்.
மேலும்
புதிதாக வரும் வேட்பாளர்களுக்கு, ஒரு பயம் இருக்கும். ஆம் தொகுதி மக்களுக்கு செய்ய வேண்டிய கடமைகள் மற்றும் உதவிகள் செய்ய வில்லையென்றால்,
எங்கே வாக்காளர்கள் தேர்தல் சமயத்தில் நோட்டாவிற்கு வாக்களித்து நம்மை
நிராகரி த்து விட்டால் அதன் மூலம் வேறு எந்த தேர்தல்களிலும் நிற்க முடியாதே என்று அச்சமும் இருக்கும்.
இந்நிலை
வந்தால்தான், உண்மையான மக்களாட்சி இந்தியாவில் மலரும். அதுமட்டுமா
விரைவிலேயே இந்தியா நல்லரசாகவும் வல்லரசாகவும் இந்த பூவுலகை வலம் வரும்
என்பது நிச்சயம்.
What is NOTA?
The Supreme Court, in September last year, upheld the right of voters to reject all candidates contesting the elections, saying it would go a long way in cleansing the political system of the country. The apex court directed the Election Commission to have an option of 'None Of The Above' (NOTA) on the electronic voting machines (EVMs) and ballot papers in a major electoral reform.
How is a NOTA vote cast?
The EVMs have the NOTA option at the end of the candidates' list. Earlier, in order to cast a negative ballot, a voter had to inform the presiding officer at the polling booth. A NOTA vote doesn't require the involvement of the presiding officer.
When was NOTA first used in India; how did it fare?
The NOTA option was first used in the assembly elections held in five states last year. More than 15 lakh people exercised the option in the states polls. The figure, however, was lower than 1.5% of the total voters. Around 50,000 voters opted for NOTA in Delhi; 3.56 lakh in Chhattisgarh; 5.9 lakh in Madhya Pradesh and 5.67 lakh in Rajasthan.
There was a similar provision before NOTA. What was it?
Before the NOTA option came in existence, people casting negative votes were required to enter their names in a register and cast their vote on a separate paper ballot.
Under Section 49 (O) of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, a voter could enter his electoral serial number in Form 17A and cast a negative vote. The presiding officer would then put a remark in the form and get it signed by the voter. This was done to prevent fraud or misuse of votes.
This provision was, however, deemed unconstitutional by the SC as it did not protect the identity of the voter.
What difference does NOTA make?
A senior EC official said the NOTA option would not impact the results of the elections. "The NOTA option on EVMs has no electoral value. Even if the maximum number of votes cast is for NOTA, the candidate getting the most of the remaining votes would be declared winner," the EC official told HT.
Why have NOTA if there's 'no electoral value'?
The SC said negative voting would even encourage people who are not satisfied with any of the candidates to turn up to express their opinion and reject all contestants.
"Negative voting will lead to a systemic change in polls and political parties will be forced to project clean candidates. If the right to vote is a statutory right, then the right to reject a candidate is a fundamental right of speech and expression under the Constitution," said a bench headed by then Chief Justice of India, P Sathasivam.
The bench also pointed out that the system of negative voting existed in several other countries. Even in Parliament, the MPs have the option to abstain during a vote.
How are 49(O) and NOTA different?
The Section 49 (O) stood annulled after the SC cleared the NOTA provision. It gave the poll officials a chance to find out the reason behind the rejection of a candidate through the voter's remarks in Form 17A. Through NOTA, the officials cannot find out the reason for the rejection. Moreover, it protects the identity of a voter, thus keeping the concept of secret balloting intact.
Which other countries allow NOTA?
Colombia, Ukraine, Brazil, Bangladesh, Finland, Spain, Sweden, Chile, France, Belgium and Greece allow their voters to cast NOTA votes. The US also allows it in a few cases. The state of Texas in the US permits the provision since 1975. The option, however, has faced opposition there.
NOTA cleared, politicians want compulsory voting now
Leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Narendra Modi and LK Advani, welcomed the NOTA provision. They, however, asked for another 'electoral reform'. Both leaders said voting should be made mandatory.
"Voters, who without any legitimate justification, have not been exercising the valuable right of franchise the Indian Constitution has conferred on them have, unwittingly thus, been casting a negative vote against all the contesting candidates without intending to do so," Advani wrote in a blog.
"I hold, therefore, that a negative vote would become really meaningful if it is accompanied also by the introduction of mandatory voting," he added.
Using 'NOTA', in a lighter vein
Having withdrawn from the contest for the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat as the AAP candidate Savita Bhatti, comedian Jaspal Bhatti's widow and actor, recently floated the 'NOTA Party' with a wad of currency notes being its election symbol. Bhatti said the party was inspired by the NOTA option given to voters.
"With every party claiming to target corruption, we are wondering where the corrupt will go? So we have decided that our party will offer a platform to only the corrupt. They are highly skilled and people with great networking. So their strengths need to be utilised," Savita took a dig at the launch.
What is NOTA?
The Supreme Court, in September last year, upheld the right of voters to reject all candidates contesting the elections, saying it would go a long way in cleansing the political system of the country. The apex court directed the Election Commission to have an option of 'None Of The Above' (NOTA) on the electronic voting machines (EVMs) and ballot papers in a major electoral reform.
How is a NOTA vote cast?
The EVMs have the NOTA option at the end of the candidates' list. Earlier, in order to cast a negative ballot, a voter had to inform the presiding officer at the polling booth. A NOTA vote doesn't require the involvement of the presiding officer.
When was NOTA first used in India; how did it fare?
The NOTA option was first used in the assembly elections held in five states last year. More than 15 lakh people exercised the option in the states polls. The figure, however, was lower than 1.5% of the total voters. Around 50,000 voters opted for NOTA in Delhi; 3.56 lakh in Chhattisgarh; 5.9 lakh in Madhya Pradesh and 5.67 lakh in Rajasthan.
There was a similar provision before NOTA. What was it?
Before the NOTA option came in existence, people casting negative votes were required to enter their names in a register and cast their vote on a separate paper ballot.
Under Section 49 (O) of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, a voter could enter his electoral serial number in Form 17A and cast a negative vote. The presiding officer would then put a remark in the form and get it signed by the voter. This was done to prevent fraud or misuse of votes.
This provision was, however, deemed unconstitutional by the SC as it did not protect the identity of the voter.
What difference does NOTA make?
A senior EC official said the NOTA option would not impact the results of the elections. "The NOTA option on EVMs has no electoral value. Even if the maximum number of votes cast is for NOTA, the candidate getting the most of the remaining votes would be declared winner," the EC official told HT.
Why have NOTA if there's 'no electoral value'?
The SC said negative voting would even encourage people who are not satisfied with any of the candidates to turn up to express their opinion and reject all contestants.
"Negative voting will lead to a systemic change in polls and political parties will be forced to project clean candidates. If the right to vote is a statutory right, then the right to reject a candidate is a fundamental right of speech and expression under the Constitution," said a bench headed by then Chief Justice of India, P Sathasivam.
The bench also pointed out that the system of negative voting existed in several other countries. Even in Parliament, the MPs have the option to abstain during a vote.
How are 49(O) and NOTA different?
The Section 49 (O) stood annulled after the SC cleared the NOTA provision. It gave the poll officials a chance to find out the reason behind the rejection of a candidate through the voter's remarks in Form 17A. Through NOTA, the officials cannot find out the reason for the rejection. Moreover, it protects the identity of a voter, thus keeping the concept of secret balloting intact.
Which other countries allow NOTA?
Colombia, Ukraine, Brazil, Bangladesh, Finland, Spain, Sweden, Chile, France, Belgium and Greece allow their voters to cast NOTA votes. The US also allows it in a few cases. The state of Texas in the US permits the provision since 1975. The option, however, has faced opposition there.
NOTA cleared, politicians want compulsory voting now
Leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Narendra Modi and LK Advani, welcomed the NOTA provision. They, however, asked for another 'electoral reform'. Both leaders said voting should be made mandatory.
"Voters, who without any legitimate justification, have not been exercising the valuable right of franchise the Indian Constitution has conferred on them have, unwittingly thus, been casting a negative vote against all the contesting candidates without intending to do so," Advani wrote in a blog.
"I hold, therefore, that a negative vote would become really meaningful if it is accompanied also by the introduction of mandatory voting," he added.
Using 'NOTA', in a lighter vein
Having withdrawn from the contest for the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat as the AAP candidate Savita Bhatti, comedian Jaspal Bhatti's widow and actor, recently floated the 'NOTA Party' with a wad of currency notes being its election symbol. Bhatti said the party was inspired by the NOTA option given to voters.
"With every party claiming to target corruption, we are wondering where the corrupt will go? So we have decided that our party will offer a platform to only the corrupt. They are highly skilled and people with great networking. So their strengths need to be utilised," Savita took a dig at the launch.
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