[h=1]Reject button on electronic voting machines will empower voters[/h]
New Delhi: In a landmark judgement, the Supreme Court on Friday gave the citizens of India the right to reject all candidates in elections.
Hearing a petition filed by the People's Union for Civil Liberties, an NGO, the apex court ruled that the Electronic Voting Machines or EVMs should have a button that will allow the voters to choose "none of the above" option.
The bench of Chief Justice P Sathasivam, Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai and Justice Ranjan Gogoi said that voters should be allowed to reject all candidates standing in an election in his/her constituency.
"Negative voting would foster purity and vibrancy in elections," the court said.
"Negative voting would lead to systemic change in polls and political parties will be forced to project clean candidates," the bench added.
The bench noted that the concept of negative voting is prevalent in 13 countries and even in India, Parliamentarians are given an option to press the button for abstaining while voting takes place in the House.
"If right to vote is statutory right, right to reject candidate is fundamental right of speech and expression under Constitution," the court stated further.
It said that democracy is all about choice and significance of right of citizens to cast negative voting is massive.
P.S: Its a GOOD Decision.:applause:
New Delhi: In a landmark judgement, the Supreme Court on Friday gave the citizens of India the right to reject all candidates in elections.
Hearing a petition filed by the People's Union for Civil Liberties, an NGO, the apex court ruled that the Electronic Voting Machines or EVMs should have a button that will allow the voters to choose "none of the above" option.
The bench of Chief Justice P Sathasivam, Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai and Justice Ranjan Gogoi said that voters should be allowed to reject all candidates standing in an election in his/her constituency.
"Negative voting would foster purity and vibrancy in elections," the court said.
"Negative voting would lead to systemic change in polls and political parties will be forced to project clean candidates," the bench added.
The bench noted that the concept of negative voting is prevalent in 13 countries and even in India, Parliamentarians are given an option to press the button for abstaining while voting takes place in the House.
"If right to vote is statutory right, right to reject candidate is fundamental right of speech and expression under Constitution," the court stated further.
It said that democracy is all about choice and significance of right of citizens to cast negative voting is massive.
P.S: Its a GOOD Decision.:applause: