Right to recall can destabilise country: CEC

India’s apex poll body is is not in favour of ‘right to recall’ or ‘right to reject’ elected representatives. In fact, Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi has warned that any such electoral rule would “destabilise” the country.

The statement comes in the wake of social activist Anna Hazare having given a call to his supporters to start a movement to put pressure on the government to introduce the right to recall. The talk is that a government-convened all-party meet on electoral reform later this month may include the issue of right to recall. But now, the country’s CEC has himself expressed his opposition to a move to have a right to recall — as in many developed countries. Reason: it “may not work” in India, given the size of the country, he told a television show.

 

“It’s not possible in India...It will destabilise the country, everywhere where there is discontent, people will start recalling,” Quraishi said on ‘Devil’s advocate’ on CNN-IBN. The inclusion of any right to reject the proposal in voting, Quraishi said, could be misused to put out an unintended political message, especially in places like Kashmir and Northeastern states where people already feel alienated.

“We have to see the implication of everything for the country,” he said.

Instead, he advocated introduction of 49-O button in electronic voting machines (EVMs), which would help voters express their unhappiness over the candidates. “Instead of a negative force of right to reject, why don’t you select a good candidate,” he asked.