State to table compulsory voting

The Gujarat government has decided to re-introduce the compulsory voting bill in the state Assembly.

The Gujarat government has decided to re-introduce the compulsory voting bill in the state Assembly. The Gujarat Local Authorities Law (Amendment) Bill,2009,to make voting mandatory in local self-governing bodies,will be re-introduced in the two-day session starting Monday,members in the state Assembly said.

States newly-appointed Law and Legislative Affairs Minister Pradeepsinh Jadeja confirmed that the bill will be re-introduced in the Assembly session. The compulsory voting bill which was termed as landmark bill by Chief Minister Narendra Modi was first passed in the State Legislative Assembly in December 2009.

However,Governor Kamla had returned the bill in April 2010 to the state government saying that it violates Article 19 of the Constitution. The main objections cited by the Governor were,the bill violates constitutional provision which does not allow voting to be made mandatory and no punishment can be meted out for not participating in the exercise of voting.

Moreover,the Governor has also noted that the mandatory voting bill be separated from the 50 per cent reservation for women in the local bodies elections.

The bill,which also seeks to raise the reservation of seats for women in local self governing bodies from 33 to 50 per cent,was passed by voice vote in the state assembly on December 19,2009. The Opposition had demanded separate bills for 50 per cent reservation for women in this regard.

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