‘Reject all’ option

September 28, 2013 12:35 am | Updated June 02, 2016 03:36 pm IST

The Supreme Court has covered itself in shining glory by directing the Election Commission to provide a button on electronic voting machines for voters to reject all the candidates contesting an election from a constituency — recognising that the right to elect includes the right to reject. Often, a voter finds himself pitted between the devil and the deep sea. Of course he can abstain but that would be seen as indifference, not passive protest.

K.X.M. John,

Kochi

Political parties will henceforth field candidates carefully and not take the voter for granted.

K. V. Rao,

Bangalore

The ‘reject all’ option in the EVMs is indeed a welcome step. But the percentage of voter turnout will be important to ensure that the provision is effective. Casting the vote should be made an unavoidable duty of every citizen. In the event of the votes polled in favour of ‘reject all’ being the maximum in a constituency, all the candidates should be banned from contesting elections for at least six years.

A.P. Govindankutty,

Cheruthuruthy

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