SC verdict on NOTA will not strengthen democracy: Mazumdar

Biocon CMD Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw today said the Supreme Court's verdict of giving voters right to reject candidates fighting elections would neither strengthen democracy nor improve election in India.
"I don't think this is the way to address democracy because when you exercise your franchise you have to cast your vote in favour of a candidate. And if you don't choose any candidate ... How are you going to improve the election and polity," she told reporters here when asked whether the apex court direction will strengthen democracy.
Mazumdar-Shaw, who is the President of Bangalore Political Action Committee, also said the court's direction is well intended but questioned about its "right and desired effect" on improving the election and polity of the nation.

"Yes we want to see better candidate being fielded for the elections, not that you want a whole bunch of people who are not votable ... This will not serve the objective we are looking at. It is just one way of addressing an issue which is very serious concern for every person," she said.
The Supreme Court has directed the Election Commission (EC) to provide a 'None Of The Above' (NOTA) option at the end of the list of candidates in electronic voting machines (EVMs) and ballot papers to allow voters to show they do not approve.
On the ordinance that protects convicted MPs and MLAs from disqualification, Mazumdar-Shaw said, "It tells you what political ethos in this country is all about."

She also flayed the government's intention to overturn Supreme Court's order to disqualify lawmakers immediately after conviction through an ordinance. "To me, that is a very serious problem," she added.
Mazumdar-shaw said candidates who have been indicted and having strong criminal record should not be allowed to contest elections. "Candidates guilty of rape certainly should not be standing for elections," she said.