Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi today made a pitch for introduction of a negative vote for the electorate, a week after his government secured passage of a legislation seeking to make voting compulsory in elections to local self-government bodies.
"The measure (negative vote) will compel political parties only to put up good candidates and do good politics," Modi said in his inaugural address to the Jain International Trade Organisation (JITO) international conference here.
Voicing concern over a large number of people losing interest in politics, the chief minister said, "It would lead to stagnation...the country would neither move forward nor backward. I want to activate a neutral society politically."
Referring to the passage of Gujarat Local Authorities Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2009, which makes voting compulsory, Modi said, "when we make voting mandatory, the voter will become important and political parties will have to address concerns of all and not just region-specific voters."
In his address, Hinduja Group chairman SP Hinduja strongly favoured compulsory voting and voting right to the NRIs.
"I am in favour of compulsory voting and for good people to enter politics. I also want NRIs to be allowed to take part in the voting exercise as they are active participants in nation-building," he said.
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