New Delhi, Aug 2 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a plea seeking the presence of the maximum number of voters at the polling booth on election day to ensure their greater participation for a more representative government.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi dismissed the petition filed by Satya Prakash who has contended that compulsory voting has succeeded in several countries including Belgium, Brazil, Argentina and Australia and the same could be tried in India also.
His plea was being heard by the Supreme Court since August 2014.
The petitioner has contended that people enjoy the fruits of democracy but shirk away from going to the polling booth to exercise their franchise and people should be aware that casting their vote is an important duty which they must discharge without fail.
The petitioner said that the Justice J.S. Verma Committee in its report in 1998 had said that the "duty to vote in an election, especially to participate in a democratic process of the government and pay taxes, should be included in Article 51A of the constitution."
To support its plea, the petitioner pointed to the Gujarat Local Authority Law (Amendment) Bill that has the provision for mandatory voting and those who skip it have to explain within 30 days for remaining absent to escape punishment.
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