Karnataka - Bangalore   

Make voting mandatory: B.R. Patil

BANGALORE: Suspended Janata Dal (Secular) MLA B.R. Patil has urged the Chief Election Commissioner to make voting mandatory and ensure that every eligible citizen of the country is included in the voters’ list to prevent electoral malpractices.

He has submitted a memorandum in this regard to the Chief Election Commissioner.

Mr. Patil told presspersons here on Thursday that lapses in the voters’ list, including omission of names, and delay in issuing voters’ identity card had been posing problems for candidates and voters. This was evident in the recent urban local body elections in which many candidates lost by a narrow margin, he said.

Explaining the difficulties faced by enumerators in collecting data relating to voters, Mr. Patil said that he had appealed to the Chief Election Commissioner to outsource the work of updating the voters’ list to private agencies.

Narashimappa, retired professor, said that the authorities concerned should take stringent steps such as making a voter non-eligible for bank loans, educational facilities, ration card and other benefits if he or she did not vote in the general elections.

Though such steps would lead to debates on the strength and limitations of fundamental rights, they would help in creating awareness on citizens’ obligations to the Constitution and help in the formation of a stable government, he added.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Woman gang-raped, neighbours thrash suspects Crime notes
Make voting mandatory: B.R. Patil
Governor wants BMIC row to be solved within parameters of law
BJP, VHP team to meet Governor
PCIPL relocates labs to Doddaballapur
Conditions conducive for north-east monsoon
JD(S) to launch ‘Vishala Yatra’ on November 1
BMTC employees roll out doll display for Navratri
Appreciate Defence forces more: Rameshwar Thakur
Woman dies as auto rams pole Crime notes
Vintage beauties to chug off to Mysore tomorrow
Animal sacrifice banned
Bangalore today

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu