TNN

New Delhi, Apr 18: How seriously a voter takes his statutory right to exercise his franchise, so vital to choose the government, is best left to him, said the Supreme Court on Friday refusing a plea to making voting compulsory.

The strenuous attempt of Atul Sarode, a cardiologist by profession, failed to convince a Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice P Sathasivam that the low percentage of voting recorded during polls in the recent past meant that the elected government did not represent the majority.

"Each voter must be forced to vote," his counsel argued. "But how do you enforce compulsory voting by voters? asked the Bench probably hearing such a plea for the first time, though a pending PIL is seeking a right for the voter to cast a negative vote saying none of the candidates in the fray were worth his vote.

The response shocked the Bench, for the counsel suggested that those who do not vote could face disconnection of their electricity and water supplies or be even saddled with a fine.

The Bench said: "We are not agreeable to your suggestion that electricity and water connection should be cut if anyone does not vote. These are inhuman methods to make a voter go to the polling booth."

Having failed to convince the Bench about the modus operandi to make compulsory voting workable, the petitioner said there were as many as 32 countries where adults must cast their vote. But, even in most of the countries where voting is compulsory, it is not mandatory for persons over the age of 70 years.

However, he could not produce any data — either the constitution or the statute — relating to the concerned countries where voting is compulsory. The petitioner said unless such a measure was employed in India, the country would continue to be governed by those getting elected without even securing majority support of the electorate.

The Bench said the voting percentage in elections in the recent past has registered a healthy increase and cited the case of Kerala and other states where more than 80% voting had been recorded.