On Sat, Apr 18, 2009 at 5:10 PM, . <svaks...@gmail.com> wrote: > Given the circus our politicians[0] create out of democracy, shouldn't > the protest vote[1] be a citizens right ; one that was lost when India > moved from a paper ballot to the electronic ballot system. >
You can still use Section 49-O of the Electoral rules to register a refusal to vote though you will lose the anonymity of the old protest vote. But given that Indian elections are a circus, in any constituency there will be no shortage of fringe candidates who you can give your protest vote to. For all practical purposes, theirs' is protest candidacy so you may as well provide them your protest vote. The downside is finding out about these candidates which requires an investment in time and effort. I still haven't found the list of candidates in New Delhi. If by happy chance there is a tiny political party or independent candidate out there with an agenda you agree with, a vote for that candidate means much more than staying at home, registering a 49-O abstension, or defacing the ballot (where possible). It won't make the candidate win, but if it narrows the margin of victory for the winner, the mainstream parties will be more concerned with how to win the votes the spoiler candidate had received. And then of course there's the warm fuzzy feeling you'll get for voting on principle. -- Aadisht Khanna Address for mailing lists: aadisht.gro...@gmail.com Personal address: aadi...@aadisht.net
