West Bengal, a senior poll official said on Wednesday that people who
did not wish to cast vote for any candidate could register at polling
booths and exercise their franchise under Rule 49(O) of the Conduct of
Election Rules, 1969.
"If someone doesn't have any candidate of his or her choice, he or she
can opt for 49(O)," state Chief Electoral officer Debashis Sen told
reporters at the Press Club here.
"As per this Act, under Section 49(O) a person can go to the polling
booth, confirm his identity, get his finger marked and convey to the
presiding election officer that he did not want to vote for anyone,"
Sen said. The person's vote will be cast but it will not go to any
particular candidate.
Sen said that the EC was trying to provide a button 'None of the
above' in EVMs, but as a case was pending in the Supreme Court it
could not be implemented, he said. "Once the Supreme Court gives
permission, the Commission will definitely use it," Sen said.
Sen also said, if a candidate won and those votes registered under
49(O) were more than the votes the winner candidate secured, then
there would be a re-poll.
In such a case the original candidates will be barred from contesting
since electors had already expressed their opinion, he said.
To a query that by exercising the provision under 49(O) voters could
put themselves at risk, Sen replied, "If you don't go to vote then
also you are identified and there too you are putting yourself at
risk."
"I request all people to go to polling stations and cast their vote," Sen said.
"Chhodna hai Italy ke dalal ko, pakadna hai Gujarat ke lal ko (You
want to release the middleman of Italy while sending the son of
Gujarat to jail)?" the advertisement asked.
It also criticised the Congress for the delay in executing the Supreme
Court's order to give death sentence to Afzal Guru, an accused in the
Parliament attack case in 2001.
"Terrorist Afzal has been made a guest while they are insulting the
pride of Gujarat (Modi)," it further added.
Bureau Report
via : zee News
