No vote
A true free, fair and impartial election requires that the voters are able to exercise their voting right without any constraints. But unfortunately in our country the voters are not able to do so because the political parties are divided into two groups and field candidates just to win the election. In order to secure victory in election, the jotes (alliances) primarily consider not the merit of the candidates but their matching capacity, that is, if one jote fields a strong candidate in a particular constituency the other jote must field a candidate who would match his rival in terms of money and muscle. In such a situation, the voters become helpless. They have no option but to vote for one of the two. Hence the fundamental objective of an election as well as democracy is frustrated.
If we sincerely desire for a free, fair and impartial election we must empower the voters to exercise their voting right in accordance with their free will. We can guarantee this right by providing them an option for “no vote”. This will act as a deterrent on the capricious and whimsical acts and decisions of the political parties in selecting candidates. In that event the political parties would think twice before fielding a candidate.
We would urge the authorities, particularly the Election Commission, to consider this demand sympathetically in order to provide an opportunity to the voters to exercise their voting rights without any constraints. Otherwise, the steps taken by the Election Commission for holding a free, fair and impartial election will mean nothing.
We hope the Election Commission would consider sympathetically the demand for the “no vote” option so that the voters are able to protect their right and the will of the people is truly reflected in an election.
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