voting is going to be compulsory in Gujarat?

Perhaps for the first time in the country the state government has plans to make voting compulsory in elections to all local self government bodies including seven municipal corporations, municipalities and district taluka and gram panchayats.

An amendment to this effect has been incorporated in the proposed Gujarat local authorities laws ( amendment ) bill which is to be introduced in the two day session of the state legislative assembly commencing from Thursday.

Reliable sources in the state government on Tuesday hinted that if the amendment is passed in the assembly 3.64 crores voetrs of Gujarat would have to vote compulsorily in the elections for the local slef government bodies. And if they did not vote they would be declared default voters and would have to face the consequences.

Though the state government would frame the rules for the default voters later on but the proposed amendment is likely to be approved by the majority in the state assembly when the bill would be taken up either on Thursday or next day during the short session which is also scheduled to clear the bill rpovding 50 per cent reservation for women in panchayats, muncipalities and municipal corporations.

The central government has already made necessary changes in the Constitution for this purpose and Gujarat would be perhaps first in the country to implement 50 per cent reservation for women.

With the proposed provision of the compulsory voting in local self government bodies the state is again adding one more feather in its cap and would go a long way in the democratic history of the state.It was Gujarat only which had taken a lead in implementation of the Panchayati Raj bill and was adjudged as one of the best module for the three tier panchayat set up in the country.