Nagpur: While Nagpur unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced plans to take legal action against the district administration, alleging a flawed voter list that led to low turnout during recent elections, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has expressed support for penalizing individuals who intentionally neglect their duty to vote, drawing inspiration from Australia’s model of deterrence. The BJP termed the voter list as “botched” and is set to pursue the matter in court.
While talking to a Marathi news channel, Fadnavis raised concerns over the low voter turnout, which stood at 63% in two rounds of polling in Maharashtra. He emphasized the significance of active participation in the democratic process and suggested that the Centre should consider imposing penalties on citizens who abstain from voting.
“Countries like Australia reduce tax benefits for citizens who don’t vote. While this may not be a criminal offense in a democracy, it’s certainly an ethical offense,” asserted Fadnavis. He stressed the importance of every voter exercising their fundamental right to vote, highlighting that only through voting can citizens hold the government accountable.
Fadnavis also addressed the recurring issue of missing voters in past elections, citing instances from 2009, 2014, and 2019. Despite efforts to rectify the electoral list through legal means and bringing the matter to the attention of the Election Commission of India (ECI), Fadnavis lamented the lack of significant progress. He called for urgent action to prepare a fresh voter list, particularly in Maharashtra.
Furthermore, Fadnavis warned of a potential recurrence of the Nagpur incident in urban constituencies like Mumbai and Pune, where voters may face difficulties finding their names on the electoral rolls. He described the state’s electoral rolls as being in a deplorable condition, urging for immediate improvements to prevent similar disruptions in future elections.
“You will again find hundreds of voters in these cities frantically searching for their names on the voters’ list on polling day, like what happened in Nagpur on April 19. The state’s electoral rolls are in a deplorable condition,” Fadnavis lamented.
