ISSUE
Friday, August 15, 2025
Volume 16 . Issue 72
The Gujarat state assembly on Saturday passed the landmark bill which makes voting to local bodies compulsory. Gujarat is the first state in India to do so.
The new law will make voting compulsory in all seven municipal corporations, 159 municipalities, 26 district panchayats, 223 taluka panchayats and in 13,713 village panchayats of the state.
However CM Narendra Modi and most of his ministers were absent when the Bill was being voted in the House. Also missing were nearly 40% of MLAs in a House of 181.
This move has been backed by RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, who said it should be extended to the Lok Sabha elections too. Commenting further he said "There has been a gradual decline in the voting percentage in elections to the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha," , adding it would be worthwhile if voting was made compulsory for elections to Parliament and state legislatures.
"It (making voting compulsory) will be in the larger interest of the country, democracy and parliamentary norms," the RJD chief said.
The Gujarat state assembly on Saturday passed the landmark bill which makes voting to local bodies compulsory. Gujarat is the first state in India to do so. The new law will make voting compulsory in all seven municipal corporations, 159 municipalities, 26 district panchayats, 223 taluka...
The Gujarat state assembly on Saturday passed the landmark bill which makes voting to local bodies compulsory. Gujarat is the first state in India to do so.
The new law will make voting compulsory in all seven municipal corporations, 159 municipalities, 26 district panchayats, 223 taluka panchayats and in 13,713 village panchayats of the state.
However CM Narendra Modi and most of his ministers were absent when the Bill was being voted in the House. Also missing were nearly 40% of MLAs in a House of 181.
This move has been backed by RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, who said it should be extended to the Lok Sabha elections too. Commenting further he said "There has been a gradual decline in the voting percentage in elections to the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha," , adding it would be worthwhile if voting was made compulsory for elections to Parliament and state legislatures.
"It (making voting compulsory) will be in the larger interest of the country, democracy and parliamentary norms," the RJD chief said.
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