Close-up on ethical voting

TURA, APR 7: To educate young voters in Meghalaya, the state election department held an interactive session on ethical voting in rural as well as urban areas. Forty percent of the electorates in Meghalaya comprises of youths.

West Garo hills district administration in collaboration with election department on Monday held an interactive session with students of ICFAI University and North Eastern Hill University (NEHU)in Tura campus.

At ICFAI, Saidul Islam Khan, an independent journalist conducted the interactive session with youths and first time voters.

Students were asked questions on criteria they look at before voting, credentials of candidate, party manifesto, local issues and others. About 120 students and faculty of ICFAI took part in the session and expressed their views and opinions about their expectation from the upcoming Lok Sabha MP.

In their conversation, the students expressed their ideas about electoral process in the country. The students took active participation in responding to the queries. Some even remarked that they are willing to vote, if candidates come clear on policies for youth welfare and job opportunities.

There were others, who were interested to understand the concept of – ‘none of the above’ (NOTA) option, introduced by the Election Commission of India for the first time.

Khan said, “The NOTA button that electronic voting machines will have does not give you the ‘right to reject’ all candidates. It is just an option to register a negative opinion”. He encouraged the young electorates not to get influenced or carried away by anybody, even parents.

“Voting is your right and you exercise it with you own wisdom and responsibility”, said Khan.

At NEHU, Khan explained the youngsters that the new provision – NOTA, does not mean that all candidates in a constituency stand rejected or defeated if the number of NOTA votes exceeds the number garnered by the highest vote-getter.

“Even if there are 99 NOTA votes out of a total of 100, and candidate X gets just one vote, X is a winner, having obtained the only valid vote. The rest will be treated as invalid or ‘no votes”, said Khan.

Khan also said, “NOTA may not affect election results, the option would ensure secrecy of the voter wanting to make a choice that amounts to abstention, and also to ensure that nobody casts a bogus vote in his place”.

The youngsters at both NEHU and ICFAI also took the pledge to vote in responsible manner and curb practises like accepting bribe, money, gifts, alcohol and dinner, sponsored by candidates or the party.

In the 2009 Lok Sabha election, only 64 per cent of the electorate voted in Meghalaya.

Returning officer, Pravin Bakshi of Tura parliamentary seat said, “This time we hope that music will do magic and the awareness on ethical voting will yield results”.

Famed choir group Shillong Chamber Choir’s music video titled “Just One” is being broadcast in different institutions, road-side, rural areas to woo voters.

“The video is part of Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation and it brought together creative and musical synergies of the talented Shillong Chamber Choir, The Hay Slalk ladies,  The production is aimed at making young voters feel that voting is a cool thing,” said Bakshi.- By Our Reporter