Guj Guv returns compulsory voting bill

Ahmedabad, Apr 18: The Governor has sent back the much talked about compulsory voting bill to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

State Governor Kamla Beniwal returned the bill which called for making voting compulsory in the state, stating that Bill violates the Constitution provision and objected to punishment clause for those choosing not to vote.

Gujarat Assembly Speaker Ashok Bhatt said that the Bill which was passed by Gujarat Assembly in Dec 2009, was returned by the Governor few days back.

According to sources the Governor cited two objectives for returning the Bill.

"The main objection cited by the Governor is that the bill violates constitutional provision which does not allow voting to be made compulsory and that no punishment can be meted out for not participating in the exercise of voting," a senior official in the Assembly secretariat said.

OneIndia News