It is interesting the amount of discussions generated over a hoax mail. Shantikam Hazarika
On Nov 1, 2007 2:39 AM, Rajen & Ajanta Barua <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > >Maybe we should have a constitutional amendment that says that if the > No-Votes registered exceeds 50% of the total Votes cast, the election is > null and void ?? > > >So get out there in the next election and even if you hate all the > canditates (probably) cast NO-Vote !! > > > > The above sounds good on paper. At least is a good point to note anyway to > make an election null and void. > > But knowing the Indian politics, we need to know better. If the election is > declared null and void, this again simply means to continue the staus quo of > the old regime or Presidential rule depending on the rule on paper which is > a no win situation I think. > > Rajen Barua > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Bartta Bistar > To: AssamNet > Sent: Wednesday, October 31, 2007 2:41 AM > Subject: [Assam] Assamese Nationalists should consider appropriate use ofthe > 'Conduct of Election Rules 1961 act,Section 49(O)' to scuttle the imposed > Indian electoral engineering intricking Assam submitting to India. > > > The Power to vote by not voting ! > http://www.shekharkapur.com/blog/archives/2007/01/the_power_to_vo.htm > > There is a way to make yourself heard even by voting against ALL the > canditates.. > > I have been made aware of this by Navin's comment under the Lonely Planet > Blog. > > The 'Conduct of Election Rules 1961 act, Section 49(O)' of the Indian Manual > of Election Law states that " "If an elector ..... decided not to record his > vote, a remark to this effect shall be made against the said entry ....." > > > Does this mean that we can excercise our franchise by collectively NOT > voting for anyone, but to register a protest as a 'No - Vote" ? Certainly a > powerful weapon. How about the winning canditate claiming victory by saying > : > > Winning Canditate : 12 % of the Votes Cast > Loosing Candidate : 3 % of the Votes Cast > NO- VOTES : 85 % of the Votes Cast > > Without the NO-VOTES registered, the satement would be as follows : > > Winning Canditae : 75 % of the Votes Cast > Loosing Canditate 25% of the Votes Cast > > Makes a huge difference to the perception of the electoral victory, doesn't > it ? Maybe we should have a constitutional amendment that says that if the > No-Votes registered exceeds 50% of the total Votes cast, the election is > null and void ?? > > So get out there in the next election and even if you hate all the > canditates (probably) cast NO-Vote !! > > Shekhar > > > 4 Comments Posted. Post your comment > > "Maybe we should have a constitutional amendment that says that if the > No-Votes registered exceeds 50% of the total Votes cast, the election is > null and void ??" > > You have my vote for having such an amendment in our Constitution, Shekhar. > (pun intended) > If the No-Votes in an election are not reported, the results can show a very > misleading picture. > I am reminded of a saying I heard a long time ago. "Statistics are like a > bikini bathing suit. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal > is vital!" > > Cheers! > > Navin > > 1. Posted by Navin on January 16, 2007 > > with EMV.. cannot remember see NOTA (none of the above) options..!?. when I > ask an officer while i was voting some years in chennai. he said that's not > possible > > later I found website with below details but not sure same is valid. > > No invalid votes: Inside the control unit, hidden from you, is an extremely > sensitive circuitry that takes care of common election errors or > malpractices like vote duplication. For instance, if one were to press two > or more buttons simultaneously, then no vote would be cast. Even if there > was a micro-second difference in the pressing of the switches, the EVM is > sensitive enough to trace and identify the twitch that was press first. > > 2. Posted by Yuva on January 17, 2007 > > I am under the impression that for a NO vote to count- an actual vote must > be cast in the ballot saying that you vote for 'nobody'- and that, in that > case- if the votes for 'nobody' outnumber the votes for other candidates- a > repoll must be called. > k > > 3. Posted by kalden on February 02, 2007 > > u are right Kalden, a NO vote must be be cast - not sure that a repoll needs > to be called, but maybe u can educate us on that. > > However most people that say "i do not have a single candutate that I would > want to vote for" have a chance to go to the polls and and make that very > important statement. Most people are not aware of tat, or I certainly was > not. Shekhar > > Citizens urged to exercise their right to franchise > > http://www.thehindu.com/2007/02/13/stories/2007021312030300.htm > > Staff Correspondent > > > Attention drawn towards Rule 49-0 for Conduct of Elections > ________________________________ > > > · `Voters have no avenue to express their disillusionment with the system > of governance' > > · Proposal to amend the rules to include a column, "None of the above" > ________________________________ > > > CHANDIGARH: On the eve of polling for the Punjab Assembly, a citizens' > initiative for cleaner politics, Punjab Election Watch (PEW), has pointed > out that the electronic voting machines (EVMs) of the Election Commission of > India do not provide an option for voters who wish to invoke the provisions > of Rule 49-0 of the Conduct of Election: to "reject all" candidates. > > In a statement here, PEW has argued that the electors would not be able to > exercise the option under Rule 49-0 directly and would be forced to inform > the presiding officer, seriously impairing secrecy. > > However, the organisation has urged the citizens to shed their apathetic > attitude and exercise their right to franchise, including the facility of > Rule 49-0. > > It has also drawn the attention of the authorities and the people that the > EC through its D.O. Letter no.3/ER/2004 dated July 5, 2004, to Prime > Minister Manmohan Singh had proposed that rules be amended to include a > column, "None of the above", to enable a voter to reject all the candidates > when required. So far no action has been initiated by the decision makers on > this issue. > > The PEW has expressed concern over the poor turnout of voters during the > 2002 elections in Ludhiana, Amritsar and Jalandhar which was recorded at > 43.90, 48.61 and 52.28 per cent respectively. > > It was a clear indicator of lack of participation by the urban voters, who > are presumed to be the informed electorate, in the democratic process. > > The group said voters often were in a dilemma due to paucity of worthwhile > candidates and had no avenue to express their disillusionment with the > system of governance. This led to many deciding > > against going to the polling station at all, making their votes vulnerable > to misuse by impersonators. > > While there was no proper system before the voters to register their > displeasure, as the statute did not provide the "Right to Reject", PEW has > drawn the attention of the public towards Rule 49-0 of the Conduct of > Election Rules, 1961. > > The rule states that if an elector decides not to record his or her vote, a > remark to this effect shall be made against the respective entry in the > Register of Voters, which is named as Form 17A. Such a vote is not counted > as invalid but shown separately while declaring the poll results. > > The PEW is of the opinion that by exercising the option of 49-O, the voters > not only prevent electoral fraud but contribute in discouraging disreputable > candidates. However, it cautioned that while most presiding officers might > be unaware of the provision, some may try to hoodwink the voters to avoid > extra work. > > > > > ________________________________ > > > _______________________________________________ > assam mailing list > assam@assamnet.org > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > > _______________________________________________ > assam mailing list > assam@assamnet.org > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > > _______________________________________________ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
