Gujarat Mandatory Voting Bill: Will see how it's implemented on ground, says Congress

The Congress Party on Monday said it would wait to see how the newly passed Gujarat Local Authorities Laws Bill, which makes voting in the local body elections in the state compulsory, is implemented on the ground.

"I think on principle it can't be criticised because it is a new idea, a new project and let us see how it works itself out... We need to see how it is actually implemented on the ground, for example, how will you implement the penalties, how will you punish, how will you do other things. So, therefore, let's wait and see," Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi told ANI here.

Gujarat became the first state in the country where voters will have to compulsorily vote in local body elections after Gujarat Governor O.P Kohli signed the Gujarat Local Authorities Laws (Amendment) bill recently, giving his approval for its implementation.

The bill had been passed by the state government twice when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's was the Chief Minister of Gujarat.

However, the then Governor Kamla Beniwal had not approved it, citing that the provision of compulsory voting was in violation of Article 21 of the Constitution and forcing a voter to vote was against the principles of an individual liberty.

The provisions of the Bill allow the government to punish and penalize any person who fails to vote during local body elections, though the nature of penalty has not been explained.

The bill also has a provision of about 50 per cent reservation for women in local body's elections.