Private member's bill on compulsory voting in Lok Sabha

NEW DELHI: A private member's bill proposing compulsory voting today found mixed response in Lok Sabha with a number of members supporting the measure while some others terming the idea as "impractical".

Janardhan Singh 'Sigriwal' (BJP), while moving the 'Compulsory Voting Bill, 2014', said such a law will make Indian democracy more participatory, curb black money spent on mobilsing voters by candidates and push Maoists and other extremists towards joining the mainstream politics.

He said it was not a good sign for democracy that despite the Election Commission spending over Rs 18,000 crore on 2014 general elections, over 34 per cent of registered voters did not vote.

Sigriwal said "e-voting" facility and mobile booths should be set up to ensure that people have the ease of voting.

Voters from weaker sections are still not allowed to vote at many places and a law for mandatory voting will end such a practice.

"It will help the government connect Maoists, separatists and other extremists with the mainstream. They presently give a call for boycotting elections...if voting becomes mandatory, they will have a stake in government and they would then play a role in running it," he said.

But his party colleague Satyapal Singh said a serious thought should go into whether such a law will succeed in a country like India.

"Can we fine 10 crore people (for failing to vote)... there is a need to have informed voters," he said.

A former Mumbai Police Commissioner, Singh also questioned the need to have students' union polls saying students should concentrate on studies than politics.

He said there is also a need to differentiate between the vote of an intellectual and a gentleman and a criminal.