Section 49-O of Indian Constitution

Date: 04.12.2007

Today I received a mail from one of my senior colleagues which made me dumbfounded. The content of the mail is as under:

Section 49-O of the Indian Constitution:

According to the aforesaid section of the Indian constituion, during elections, a citizen of India can go to the respective polling booth and report to the presiding officer that he/she doesn't feel like excersing his/her franchise to any of the candidates in the fray and can get his/her finger marked with the indelible ink.

The importance of this 49-O section of Indian constitution is that in a particular ward, if the number of "Vote to Nobody"(by making use of section 49-O) exceeds the number of votes secured by the winner then that ward would go for re-polling. Also, there is a feasibility of denying candidature to all the candidates who were in the foray during re-polling, since the people had already expressed their dislike by making use of section 49-O.

My Opinion:

I can swear that even many of the most responsible citizens of India would not be aware of this section of the Indian Constitution. I have never come across this section anywhere before. Thus far I have heard of only "Article 356" and "Indian Penal Code 320". Thus far none of the directors/actors of Kollywood has made the public aware of this.

Last but not the least, I wish to make a humble request to all my fellow Indians. If you don't feel like electing any candidate who are in the fray of your respective constituency, instead of simply enjoying the leave offered on the day of polling, please do take the small pain of going to the polling booth and make use of the section 49-O of our constitution. Thereby, you end up posing a threat to the corrupt politicians.