‘SC verdict on negative vote a tsunami for political parties’

Former IPS officer and team Anna member Kiran Bedi said it was “a beginning of a new India” and a “tsunami for political parties”.

“SC order of right to reject coming on the heels of transparency in accounts,decriminalisation of elected,is a tsunami for Political Parties! “It’s a Beginning of a new India. Decline of criminal,corrupt,communal politics. Thankyou SC and Thankyou media for letting people voices heard/seen (sic),” Bedi tweeted.

NOTA in polls similar to ABSTAIN in Parliament voting: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court,in a landmark judgement,on Friday held that citizens have right to cast negative vote rejecting all candidates contesting polls,a decision which would encourage people not satisfied with contestants to turn up for voting.

The court directed the Election Commission to provide ‘none of the above’ (NOTA) option at the end of the list of candidates in the electronic voting machines (EVMs) and the ballot papers to allow voters exercise the option of rejecting all those contesting polls.

Supporting the verdict Kamal A Mitra Chenoy,professor at JNU’s Centre for Comparative Politics and Political Theory,said it would reduce alienation of voters who usually don’t come to vote as they are not satisfied with the candidates.

“The extra confidence of the political parties would be dented with this decision. People should know what their power is,” he said.

Actor Anupam Kher,who had actively participated in Anna Hazare’s movement for implementation of Janlokpal Bill,hailed the decision and said it was a time to remember Hazare,who started it.

“Great News. Time to remember the man who started it all Anna Hazare. Jai Ho,” Kher tweeted.

The court had also observed that the concept of negative voting would bring a systemic change in the election process as the political parties will be forced to project clean candidates in polls.