The 'no vote'
Engr. Md. Aminul Hoque, Khalishpur, Khulna
The Election Commission deserves appreciation for its significant proposal for introducing a system for casting "no vote" in parliamentary elections to express voters' lack of confidence in the candidates in a constituency. But if the people know that it will not affect the election results, then they will probably not turn up in polling stations to cast vote. In principle the "no vote" should have the same weight & value as that of "yes vote". The Election Commission should reconsider the matter.The other proposal that every registered political party must have specific provision in its constitution for including at least 33 percent women as office bearers of its central and other committees is also not compatible with democratic norms. All political parties should practise democracy in electing their office bearers. We are all advocating equal rights for men & women. Women should come forward by virtue of their talent & capability, and not by taking advantage of some quota system. The provision for imposing a ban on political parties for having front organisations comprising students, teachers & workers, will, of course, be endorsed by the majority of common people. We want to see politics-free educational institutions and factories & establishments.
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