A bill proposing compulsory voting was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Friday by a Congress member, a suggestion recently made by Bharatiya Janata Party leader L K Advani.
Unfazed by the Governor sending back Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's much talked about compulsory voting bill, the state government re-introduced the legislation without any changes in the assembly on Tuesday.The bill making voting mandatory in elections to self governing bodies was returned by Governor Kamla in April on the grounds the legislative measure is against individual freedom.
Making clear the government's resolve on the issue, Chief Minister Anandiben Patil said process of framing rules for default voters is underway.
Bharatiya Janata Party leader L K Advani on Sunday batted for introduction of compulsory voting in the country and said those failing to exercise their right to franchise should be barred from voting in future.
Bharatiya Janata Party leader L K Advani appeared to be on the same page as Narendra Modi, a rarity since the acrimony over naming PM candidate, as he endorsed the Gujarat chief minister's view that there that there should be compulsory voting along with the 'none-of-the-above' option.
The Gujarat high court on Friday stayed the implementation of a law that makes voting compulsory in the civic body elections in the state.
'Lakhs of transgender people's identities will get erased. Many of them will go into hiding and lead depressing lives.'
Calling for a national discussion on replicating the Gujarat model of making voting compulsory, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday criticised the Congress and Left parties for opposing it 'without applying their minds'. Describing the bill as 'innovative and useful', senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu said the modalities of experimenting it in other states should be discussed.
Backing the Gujarat government's move to make voting compulsory in local body polls, RJD supreme Lalu Prasad on Monday said it should be extended to the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls too.
Several members in the Lok Sabha on Friday pitched for making voting compulsory, saying that such a move would help curb corruption and instances of electorate being influenced through illegal means during elections.
Now, in Gujarat, it's either vote or face a penalty.
On Monday, Gujarat Governor OP Kohli signed the Gujarat Local Authorities Laws Bill, hereby making voting in civic polls a must.
It is natural for many of you to ask -- do things like Right to Reject and Compulsory voting violate our Right to Expression? No, I would say it is adding completeness in the opportunity for expression
The bills that repeal and replace the Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act will usher in a new era in the criminal justice system, Home Minister Amit Shah said
A bill to link electoral rolls with the Aadhaar ecosystem to weed out duplication was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday.
The National Judicial Commission Bill, 2022, was introduced after the majority of voice votes were in its favour.
The opposition parties were demanding a division of votes as they had moved a motion to send the Bill to a select committee, which was rejected by voice vote.
The Narendra Modi government in Gujarat has made a decision to bring into force an amendment bill during the forthcoming assembly session in the state, that would make it compulsory to vote during local body elections.
The amendments were adopted with a significant margin, with the difference of votes ranging between 27 and 34 votes.
The amended bill also provides for a stiff Rs 1 crore penalty and a jail term for private entities for storing Aadhaar data.
The Supreme Court on Monday sought response from the Centre and the Election Commission on a Public Interest Litigation seeking a direction to them to frame of guidelines to ensure that more citizens cast their votes in the polls.
Government on Tuesday indicated its willingness to incorporate more changes into the land bill in order to address the concerns raised by opposition parties even as it has already agreed to make at least six amendments in its proposal.
A bill to auction coal mines is also likely to be passed later.
The contentious Land bill passed the Lok Sabha test after the government carried out nine amendments.
'The linking of Aadhaar to births and deaths will revive the debate around citizenship.'
India could start some element of military training for its youth, especially in border areas, but compulsory training on the lines of Russia and other countries is ruled out.
'By manipulating India's electoral laws, the aim of the Modi government is to weaken democracy to such an extent that it ultimately crumbles.'
The ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu had begun seeing Governor Ravi's decisions and actions as a part of the state BJP's non-stop criticism of its government and directed from Delhi, a view strengthened by the governor's decision to return the NEET exemption bill, points out N Sathiya Moorthy.
Given India's political scenario, where parties seek votes on the basis of caste and religion, the issue of using mother tongue in schools is more of a political vendetta, says Devanik Saha
The 80-year-old anti-corruption crusader, whose previous agitation propelled many leaders, including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, to the national limelight has decided that those who wish to associate with him now will have to swear in an affidavit that they will not join politics in future.
The Congress chief said if his party is elected to power, its government would spend 6 per cent of the GDP on education.
The apex court's five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said Aadhaar is meant to help benefits reach the marginalised sections of the society and takes into account the dignity of people not only from personal but also from community point of view.
'While the farmers are reeling under a huge debt burden, crop loss due to locust attacks and erratic rainfall, the state is also facing a COVID-19 challenge.' 'In this situation, you have Congress and BJP MLAs trying to outwit each other in a game of thrones'
Admittedly, EVMs too have a UID number and any convergence of data can make the secret ballot system a party of history, warns Dr Gopal Krishna in the 5th part of his series against Aadhaar.
Awful religious practices need to be abolished. But through social and political reformers, not by courts, argues Shekhar Gupta.
Popular Telugu film star Pavan Kalyan launched his Jana Sena party with a 'call to the nation' to 'wipe out' the Congress party on Friday.
Biometric authentication is based on the unscientific and questionable assumption that there are parts of human body that does not age, wither and decay with the passage of time.
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