Rule 49-O, The Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961

A lot of anger has built up in the general public due to the unfortunate events of last week, and hopefully this time we the people will channel our anger and frustrations to create something that is productive and beneficial to the greater good of the nation.

I have seen Rule 49-O crop up in many such discussions. I have also heard that election agents and officers are never prepared for the use of this law. We need to spread awareness of this option and if enough people ask for it, the authorities will have to allow us to use this option.

For those who do not know, here the actual rule:

49-O. Elector deciding not to vote.-If an elector, after his electoral roll number has been duly entered in the register of voters in Form-17A and has put his signature or thumb impression thereon as required under sub-rule (1) of rule 49L, decided not to record his vote, a remark to this effect shall be made against the said entry in Form 17A by the presiding officer and the signature or thumb impression of the elector shall be obtained against such remark.

What this rule effectively says is that enough people decide to say none of the above, there has to be a re-election in that constituency and none of the candidates are allowed to contest the immediate re-election as they have all been rejected.

However, the problems arise due to the fact that the electronic voting machines and ballot papers (in case of municipal/panchayat elections) do not contain any facility to reject the candidates under Rule 49-O. The only way you can exercise this rule is by informing the presiding officer of the electoral booth. Unfortunately this takes away your right to a secret ballot and in our country can put you in trouble with the politicians who you have decided to reject.

If enough people are made aware and a strong representation is presented to the Election Commission, they will have to consider including an option which allows us, the people to vote for "None of the Above".

So please spread the word to as many people as you want. Write to the Election Commission in advance on how you may exercise your rights under Rule 49-O. Perhaps they will pay heed to the people.

For more info:

Wikipedia article on Article 49-O

The Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961

Join the movement on Facebook

A number of fellow Indians have made their voices heard on the Internet. The key theme of every movement is that they have had enough and want a change.

I do not believe that my message is the best suited or accurate compared to others, but all I am doing is making my voice heard. And I encourage everybody to do the same.

Use every mean available to yourself to put across your message, use every medium and every forum. Ensure that this from this day forth to the end of days, we are no longer used and abused.

The change has to start from within, we must make our voices heard

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=48147192951&ref=mf

This is the beginning, the beginning of.....

This is the launch of a change, a change that does not recognise religions or regions, a changethat does not recognise caste or creed. This change recognises your allegiance to one entity and one entity alone – India. 

For decades at a stretch, political leaders have attempted to divide us along lines of religion, caste, sub-caste or region of belonging.  We have seen people climb to the top based on divisive rather than inclusive politics and this must come to an end.

 

At a time when the country was under attack from enemies, people still had the gall to point fingers at certain other sections of society and political spectrum. For the most part, the people were united, but the divisive nature of our unity is something we must all be deeply and profoundly ashamed off.

 

What I propose is a radical overhaul of our institution, not in structure but in culture. Let us no longer think about who belongs to which religion to get admission into a school or who belongs to which caste to gain employment. Let us no longer fall prey to those who say that one particular part of India belongs to those people who are “sons of the soil”.

 

We were all born in the same hospitals; we all studied in the same schools and colleges. Many of us work in the same offices. All of us use the same roads, drink the same water and breathe the same air. Then why do we discriminate among each other because of who our ancestors were?

 

Why do we say that an Indian who’s forefathers were born in Pune have more rights on the land of Mumbai than an Indian who’s forefathers were born in Patna?

 

Why do we say that an Indian whose forefathers were born as Shudras based on a classification that was created thousands of years ago should be compensated today at the expense of more meritorious and deserving fellow Indians?

 

We find it convenient to blame the politicians from creating divisions, yet we continue to vote for the same people every few years. Should we not blame ourselves for this? Should we not expect that we shall reap that what we sow? Let us no longer fall prey to the divisive policies of the current establishment.

 

What I ask you is not to rebel against the establishment, what I ask you is not to turn radical and destroy the establishment. However what I ask you is to think before you fall victim to the people involved in the establishment.

 

Once again, We the People must solemnly resolve to constitute India into the Sovereign Democratic Republic she was meant to be and to secure to all fellow Indians – Justice, Liberty, Equality and Fraternity assuring the dignity of the individual and the Unity of the Nation; in our minds and consciousness, on this day and every day till the end of days.

 

Let us turn Our Country to a land where solidarity is practised rather than expressed, into a land where tolerance is displayed rather than preached and a land where our differences are irrelevant compared to our allegiance to India.