Section 49-O: "I Vote Nobody"

[Dr.V.N.Sharma]

Dear Friends,

We are a democratic country taking part in Elections of our representatives (Rulers) for last 56 years. But it looks like that we were forced to make wrong choices and there is no way out.

It is not true. Indian Constitution provides an alternative, i.e. Section 49-O. You go to the polling booth, get yourself identified before the Presiding Officer/ Polling officer and then refuse to vote. You will be asked to fill up a Form to formally say "I Vote Nobody". If the majority of the votes are "No Vote" the election will be canceled and called afresh.

I think for intellectuals who cannot go around polling booths with a gun in their hand, this is an option worth trying. Since Elections are coming we may use this alternative for teaching some lesson to the incompetent, inefficient, criminal, corrupt and selfish individuals.
Pl. do so.

I have given two links below -One is a text the other is a video.

http://www.youthforequality.com/yfe-news/yfe-news-details.aspx?News...
&
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IJ4r9ZinlQ

Dr V.N.Sharma

[Ashish Kumar]

Dear Dr. Sharma,

I believe not voting or refusing to vote is not going to help anybody neither government nor the public. Do you think that if you will not vote the government will not be formed, India will not be democratic..!? That's incomprehensible. Instead of cancelling/staying away from voting why not vote and use the democratic pressure to make the politicians change for our good sake.
Uptill now the people have stayed away from elections and the result is the retarded growth of bihar. I know every politician is a crook but we need these crooks to make them realise the potential of public. The need is to approach the right channel. The need is to do something on your own instead of asking somebody for help.

Regards
Ashish..

[Dr.V.N.Sharma]

Dear Ashish,

Democracy is not simply voting or making Head or hand counts. It is much more than that. It is spirit, it is culture, it is a way of life, it includes tolerance, balanced thinking and approach to every issue that a society faces during its existence. Your assumption in the very beginning is that the elections are throwing up very nice, efficient, competent leadership for governance of the State. And further that Rule 49-O will hamper that process and throw up incompetent ones. It is not so. Rule 49-O was not there originally in the Election laws of 1950. Though leadership of then India was born out of struggle and dedication and devotion towards the Motherland yet with some experience of 1st & 2nd general elections they introduced Section 49-O in 1961 Amendment. By this, people who neither wanted Nagnath, nor a Sanpnath had an opportunity to say so in stead of sitting at home. This required much more of a democratic strength than needed to go to the booth, vote or cancel your ballot by innumerable no. of methods described in the Rules. This is neither anti - democracy, nor non-constitutional. Just make a difference between those who profess that Elections are farce and those who go to say that none of the candidates is genuine or not worth my vote as in Section 49-O.

Presently what is happening? A nice, knowledgeable, well meaning person cannot be a candidate as he knows his fate if he is not heading a goons brigade he is not backed up by Moneywallahs. I know of a few candidates who tried their hands at the elections and left a message for us. One example was late Shiv Verma, a comrade of Sardar Bhagat Singh and overtly a much respected person living in Kanpur and was working with the Trade Unions for protecting the workers from exploitation and for defending their rights. He took part in 1971 Elections from Kanpur constituency He had only 3000 + votes in the count. Elections today need money and muscle power and both are interrelated. Section 49-O is a safety valve for those who are frustrated with the present election system. It would be more meaningful if larger votes under Section 49-O leads to cancellation and a Re-election in that constituency. That will keep the candidates under some control.

Pl. read the Summary of What is Section 49-O in the following link.

http://sharmavn.blogspot.com/2008/12/summary-of-i-vote-nobody-rule-...

Dr.V.N.Sharma


Ashish Kumar said:

Dear Dr. Sharma,

I believe not voting or refusing to vote is not going to help anybody neither government nor the public. Do you think that if you will not vote the government will not be formed, India will not be democratic..!? That's incomprehensible. Instead of cancelling/staying away from voting why not vote and use the democratic pressure to make the politicians change for our good sake.
Uptill now the people have stayed away from elections and the result is the retarded growth of bihar. I know every politician is a crook but we need these crooks to make them realise the potential of public. The need is to approach the right channel. The need is to do something on your own instead of asking somebody for help.

Regards
Ashish..

[chandan kumar]

Mr. Sharma is 200% right.

[Ratnesh Kumar]

Dear sir,
During last election this mail was widly circulated on web, later on i got to know that this is just a rumour.
Actually it would have been great if this tol was provided to us. As article 49 '0' is concerned it is in Part 4 of constitution and that is related with 'Directive Principles of State Policy'.

[Dr.V.N.Sharma]

Dear Ratnesh & Chandan,

I have raised this issue for clarification or explanation from Election Commission of India under Right To Information (RTI ) Act 2005. I shall circulate their reply and see that Voters have somethings in their hand before the Parliamentary Elections.

Dr.V.N.Sharma

Ratnesh Kumar said:

Dear sir,
During last election this mail was widly circulated on web, later on i got to know that this is just a rumour.
Actually it would have been great if this tol was provided to us. As article 49 '0' is concerned it is in Part 4 of constitution and that is related with 'Directive Principles of State Policy'.

[Ratnesh Kumar]

Dear Sharma Sir,
That will be very nice information to have. As far as my view is concern i will be very much delighted to know about this. If voters in our country have this tool then i think it will be great.

Dear Ashish,
i don't think this will be interrution to the voting process. As you know all the main stream parties are fielding criminals as their candidate. Using this tool atleast we voters can strongly oppose this.As we know i lot of people don't want to vote because they don't like anyone of them.That way atleast we have a say in this.

But again for me main concern is whether this Article 49'0' is there in our constitution or not?

[Dr.V.N.Sharma]

Dear Ratnesh,
Pl. read my postings in http://sharmavn.blogspot.com/ on Section 49-0. It provides sufficient info. for the present.

vns

Ratnesh Kumar said:

Dear Sharma Sir,
That will be very nice information to have. As far as my view is concern i will be very much delighted to know about this. If voters in our country have this tool then i think it will be great.

Dear Ashish,
i don't think this will be interrution to the voting process. As you know all the main stream parties are fielding criminals as their candidate. Using this tool atleast we voters can strongly oppose this.As we know i lot of people don't want to vote because they don't like anyone of them.That way atleast we have a say in this.

But again for me main concern is whether this Article 49'0' is there in our constitution or not?

[Dr.V.N.Sharma]

Dear All,

Recently we had a lot of discussion in this group and also between
individuals on Rule 49-O of Conduct of Election Rules, 1961. As promised I
obtained the info from Election Commission of India under RTI act
2005.

I recd the reply and clarification which are as follows.

1. This Rule has not been amended . It is as it was in 1961.

2. ECI issued a press Note on 5th Dec 2008 stating that Elections will
not be cancelled even if " I vote Nobody" is more than the winner's
votes. Read the Press Note in the following link
http://www.eci.gov.in/press/current/pn051208.pdf

3. ECI has proposed to the Govt to provide for "None of the Above "
provision in the ballot paper. A petition is pending in the Supreme
Court but no details have been given.

I hope and believe that this clarifies the issue and discussion may
continue to plan as to what to do now.


--
"Those who have the privilege to know, have the duty to act." Albert Einstein

Dr.V.N.Sharma
http://canvas.nowpos.com/vnsharma



Dr.V.N.Sharma said:

Dear Ratnesh,
Pl. read my postings in http://sharmavn.blogspot.com/ on Section 49-0. It provides sufficient info. for the present.

vns

Ratnesh Kumar said:

Dear Sharma Sir,
That will be very nice information to have. As far as my view is concern i will be very much delighted to know about this. If voters in our country have this tool then i think it will be great.

Dear Ashish,
i don't think this will be interrution to the voting process. As you know all the main stream parties are fielding criminals as their candidate. Using this tool atleast we voters can strongly oppose this.As we know i lot of people don't want to vote because they don't like anyone of them.That way atleast we have a say in this.

But again for me main concern is whether this Article 49'0' is there in our constitution or not?