Judicious Use Of Vote Holds Key To Himachal’s Future

Dr. O.P. Sharma

(The writer is based in Shimla)

Increasing din of rallies points that assembly elections are not far away in Himachal Pradesh. Every voter is analysing leaders and political parties to elect party of one’s choice by using franchise to vote. The right to vote has an important place in democracy. Common citizens elect representative and government through this right. It is because of its utmost importance, this right expects some responsibility from your side while using it. Responsibility is that you cast your vote for a candidate who you think as the right choice to represent you. Do not exercise your right to vote considering it as a burden or some donation.

Youths are strength of any state and country and essays an important role in nation building. They bring in new energy in every task through their potential, working abilities and energy. A large number of youth will exercise their right to vote for the first time in Himachal. They can play an important role in making a government through judicious and responsible use of their right.

According to national election watch survey, out of a total of 543 legislators in 15th Lok Sabha, cases were pending against 162 legislators in courts. There were cases of heinous crime and crime against women in the courts against many legislators. Even today, there is no dearth of tainted leaders in politics. These persons need to be taught a lesson and should be thrown out of the system through exercise of right to vote. Roots of democracy have been strengthened and decentralised after independence in India. According to the constitution, every adult boy, girl, men or women has the right to vote. Youths ensured their participation in constituting 16th Lok Sabha in 2014 by giving full majority to one party.

Youths in Himachal especially in the age group of 18 to 35 years and first time voters should make mandatory use of their right to vote. Himachal government has taken a commendable step in this direction by running an awareness drive to aware people about voting exercise. Every school, panchayat, social activist organisations and other people together contributed to spread the word under this programme.

The Election Commission of India, the state government and other parties are spending crores of rupees for this election. Therefore it becomes responsibility of every citizen to extend contribution through judicial use of right to vote. This is our chance to fight with all problems that we are dealing within the society today – be it corruption, law and order problem, the problem of division in the society due to caste, religion or creed or administrative laxity. The future of the state lies in our judicious and responsible use of right to vote.

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