A Confession
This confession was inspired by Chaitanya. On his blog, Chaitanya wrote:
I am 36, and I have never voted in my life. I feel ashamed of this fact today—more than I ever did before.
The race to earn a living as soon as I graduated took precedence over everything else, including registering myself to vote. Being a working bachelor, during my early years as a voter, with no real residence for more than a couple of years in a place didn’t help.
…
Yes, I have been one of those ‘Chalta hain’ people. It is such callous attitude of the likes of me that has resulted in the kind of leadership my country, India, has. A machinery, which has run out of grease. I want to help put that grease back in—even if tars my hands.
For those who know my passion for politics and India, this may come as a great surprise…but I want to confess that (like Chaitanya) I have not voted even once in my life (although I am more embarrassed than ashamed).
Why?
Blame circumstances…Here is a brief timeline and some context around this…
May/Jun 1989: The first Lok Sabha elections in which I could have voted. I was travelling in the North East of India at the time, working and hitch-hiking my way through Assam, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya…In other words, I could not vote.
Between 1993 – 1996, I was in Japan and thus unable to vote in any election(s).
Feb/Mar 1998: The second time I could have voted in Lok Sabha elections. I was in Delhi at the time but did not have my name on the voters’ list, having moved back from Tokyo only 15 months ago (I’m not from Delhi). My wife did though (she is from Delhi) and she did vote…
Later in ’98, I moved to UK…and promptly became ineligible to vote (being outside India)
I have retained my citizenship though and although I am still an NRI, I hope to become a resident citizen soon…and hopefully vote in 2014 – if not before.
Do I feel bad about it? Yes, I do…to an extent…but voting is just one thing you can do if you are passionate about politics (and you can only do it once every few years)…There are many other things needed…and that is where I have focused my energies…
But here is my humble request to all of you: If you can, do go out and vote in the upcoming elections…Please.
P.S. There is at least one national leader who – like me – had never voted (in India) until she was well in her late thirties (not that I’m anywhere close to being a national leader!).
Related Posts:
Coming Out of the Closet – Who is B Shantanu?
Some of you may know that Loksatta is supporting a campaign to enable NRIs to vote.
Nice reading! Just to add.
I was aggressive on phone with each of my family members in past and made all of them vote. Later, one by one all called me and said ‘first time we went for voting because you insisted’ and they were happy about it. Same goes this time too.
Do you (or anyone else) happen to know if the government provides absentee ballots?
@ Indian: Thats great…well done!
***
@ AR: As far as I know, only polling officers and armed forces personnel are allowed absentee voting in India.
NRIs are not allowed to vote although there is a pending bill in Parliament to grant them this right/privilege. This is unlikely to be passed in the current term though (2 months to go) so this is most likely something for the new government to consider.
I’ll be voting for the very first time in my life during this elections.
Last year, I voted for the first time in my life because I got my election commission I-card. Most middle class people don’t vote because they have no idea how to go about it. They don’t know how to get the election commission I-card, where is the voting booth and what are the timings. But if you have done it once, then you find it easy to do it again and again. I for one now will vote in every elections. Having done it for the first time in last year’s Delhi elections, I did not realise how easy it actually was.
Well done Vishal!!
***
@ ss: Thanks for sharing this…and hope more people get an I-card after reading your experience
LOk Satta is working on NRI voting rights. I must confess that I have not voted since 2000, time I moved to US, but I have voted every time I got an opportunity before that. I have always voted for one party and that party has disappointed me. Will I vote for other party. NO. I am thinking None of the Above. I want another alternative. Will I get it, don’t know.
What about dual citizenship rights? Same as above NRI votings?
Anupam: “None of the “Above is a not a great idea..A guest post on this will appear soon.
***
Indian: Dual citizenship does not include voting rights.
http://ibnlive.in.com/blogs/srisriravishankar/2428/53310/the-power-of-your-vote.html
Unfortunately, most of our politicians lack a sense of sacrifice and inclusiveness. Irrespective of the party they belong to, people perceive politicians as insincere. Today, people are fed up of them. This is when apathy sets in among people. They dismiss politics as a whole and withdraw from their basic duty of voting.
Our votes are an important tool to bring about a change in the system; they give us an opportunity to raise our voice against injustice. But many of us have developed a chalta hai attitude, because we fail to see the power of our votes. This attitude is dangerous for the country. By not voting we are encouraging the status quo.
Each one of us must not only vote but also encourage others around us to vote. When good, intelligent and well-educated people don’t vote, they play into the hands of politicians, who use money and vote bank politics to seize power. People should not lose hope. Good politicians exist. And they must be given a chance to do the best they can for the country, for its people.
I am in truly exalted company!
This video is in Gujarati, but everyone can understand an appeal made to public for voting by making long long lines.
It says, avoid “Q” in your life by making just one line for voting.
http://deshgujarat.com/2009/04/15/line-lagavoa-music-video-from-suratappeals-to-vote/
I enjoyed, hope others will enjoy too.
@ shantanu
when can we expect you to be contesting in the general elections?
I have voted in every elections since I became eligible (18) to vote – state and national elections – following the propaganda that every vote counts.
Complete rubbish – my single vote (or my family’s votes) has (have) never counted. It has been an irrational waste of my time.
I will NOT be voting this time or the next, until I actually stand for elections, when I will be voting for myself!
Our electoral system needs serious reforms: First and foremost, we need to ensure that people do not get elected with 15-20% votes of the total voting population in any constituency (35% of 60%). The first and immediated reform has to be: to be elected, a MLA or MP will need 50% + 1 vote of the total votes polled.
Second, EVMs need to have “none of the above” as an option as well – that will ensure higher voter turnout from the frustrated voters who do not care to vote, without the risk of having to disclose your identity – secret ballot should apply to all. In the current system, obviously, if “none” gets higher votes than any others, then you have a re-election.
The first will require a constitutional amendment, I believe that the second will not.
Cheers
Patriot
Since only a small portion of the total voting population goes to vote, should we make voting mandatory? Also voting fraud seems to be quite prevalent. Last time I went to vote in the local elections, I was told someone had already voted in my name. How is that even possible? And can I seek some kind of legal recourse?
This voter fraud and booth capturing seems to be quite prevalent in Tamil Nadu. Last time my mother-in-law went to vote, she was told to leave since there were thugs who were involved in booth capturing. What is the Election commission doing ?
@ riya (#13): The honest answer is I don’t know myself…
I sometimes wonder whether it will actually be short-sighted to focus on contesting elections given that the problems that we face are so massive and so complex…
Might a serious and sustained effort to increase public consciousness be more productive?
What do others think?
My views –I think duty of educating public is more important than contesting election. By discussion, making them realise that they deserve more than what they are geting is crucial. Help them in getting their rights to education, food, shelter, safety and water is above all. I am getting confused now-Do they have such rights?
@K. Haripriya
I have seen in union territory where congress ruled for many years, tribals were given Rs. 50 for voting by its candidate. It is a festival for them. Who wuld not like to go for voting if money is the part of voting. Now amount may have been increased to Rs 100 or anything. And few months back may be year now, Sonia G., gave her speech at the same UT and is proud of achievemnets(winning election is achievement for congress, you know its a big achievement!) done by her candidate.
Salman Khan on why he could not cast his vote:
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