CEC favours 'None to Vote' option on EVMs

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MADHU AGRAWAL

05 February, 2011

Chief Election Commissioner SM Qureshi has rightly advocated for providing a button on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) whereby a voter can opt for 'None To Vote' without going through a cumbersome procedure.

THE CHIEF Election Commissioner SM Qureshi has rightly advocated for providing a button on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) whereby a voter can opt choice for ‘None To Vote’ without going through a cumbersome procedure for exercising right available under article 49(o).

Though there exists a provision under article 49(o) whereby a voter can register such an option at the polling booth, but the cumbersome procedure is not known even to most poll-officers posted at polling-booths. Moreover presently exercising ‘None to vote’ option through 49(o) is not secret as it is specifically to be mentioned on poll-registers by the poll-officers on duty.

At a time, when people have lost faith in political system in general, CEC advice for having a button on EVMs compulsorily for ‘None To Vote’ is the need of the hour.

To empower the voters it is important that the option of 'None To Vote' is popularised so that the electorate can reject the politicians at the husting itself. The leaders, who are non-performers and have not been able to deliver the goods should be rejected at the outset and this should be made possible for the entire set of candidates.