Negative vote in mind,many ‘forced’ to opt for candidate

A number of people who wanted to cast a negative vote were disappointed as presiding officers did not allow them to do so. While Andheri activist James John managed to cast the ‘zero vote’,there were many who were forced to vote for a candidate even when they had made up their mind to cast a negative vote.

Gamdevi resident and activist Sudhir Badami,among those who used the ‘49-O’ option,said he received an aggressive response from polling staff as soon as he had inked his finger in a Babulnath polling station and announced that he didn’t want to cast a vote. “She asked me why I came at all,” said Badami. “When I said this was my right,the presiding officer agreed to let me sign my declaration in their register.” Others said they were downright refused permission to exercise the no-vote option.

Sion resident and college student Kumar Mali wanted to cast a zero vote. However,after signing his name,he entered the booth and enquired with the presiding officer upon not finding a “no vote” option on the EVM. “The officer told me there is no such option on the machine and I will have to write in a register that I refuse to vote for any of the above candidates. But they could not find the register and asked me to vote for a candidate,” he said.