It’s April, summer has arrived so does the elections. Schedule for the General Elections 2019 has been declared. Now the battle for the throne has already begun. Ever since India’s independence, we have seen a gradual decline in Indian politics. On the one hand, where the Govt. debates over – ‘we did this much, we did that much’ but the harsh reality is we all are still worried about the problems like Corruption, Unemployment, Illiteracy, Increasing crime rate, Terrorism, Poverty and so on. Don’t we all want our country to move forward peacefully and prosper?
Abraham Lincoln said, “Democracy is a form of government for the people, by the people, to the people.”
In a democracy, the biggest opportunity to bring a change is the ‘Election’. Voters are a major part of democracy and their ‘Vote’ is the biggest weapon for this change.
But in today’s hustle-bustle of city life, the importance of voting is lost. We are living in a time where the country is highly politicized. Whether we are at home or at work, on the streets or on social networks, we are circled by a political discussion. Still, it is more likely to be treated as a day of rest. It has been a tendency among voters, especially in the urban areas thinking it won’t make a change, but as a matter of fact, it does.
While everyone sits and complains the government about their policy and formulation, while the elections come and go without half the population paying attention. Voting is crucial to activating the democratic process. Enabling the citizens of a nation to not only choose their own government but also the concerned representative from it. Voting not only gives the citizen the right to democracy but also gives the opportunity to seek answers regarding their issues and concerns.
As per the reports, the highest recorded voter turnout in India was 66.4% during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Close to half of the country’s population only exercises their right to vote and the remaining enjoy the voting day as a rest day.
Reasons to vote
Every vote counts:
A vote being the biggest weapon of change, every vote gets counted and every voter portrays his individual identity. Even if we do not have a reason to vote, we should change into a one. Become a part of the change by taking responsibility for fixing up the problems we are facing.
Mahatma Gandhi said: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
Get heard:
The political foundation of a nation is built using the election. Get yourself out and stop saying that no one will vote. Find a political party whose plans and manifestos match your ideology, research their candidates, and most importantly register yourself as a voter. The process of voting allows every citizen to have a say in what should constitute the matters of importance by voting for the candidate he or she deems fit for the purpose. By not casting one’s vote, that citizen is giving up on the chance of getting heard.
An Agent of change:
I consider voting as a duty, contrary to one authority. It is a way of showing what we believe in, and who we trust to accomplish it. If a citizen is unsatisfied with the current government performance, he can vote for a better one. Not voting at all will result in the same party ruling for another five years and then there will be no one to blame.
Voting as an honour:
Our founding fathers conferred voting as an honour. Citizens demonstrate their respect for the history of the country by exercising their right to vote. Being a responsible citizen of India it is our duty to choose the best candidate from those presented and make informed decisions. It is said though, ‘the public is wiser than the wisest critic’.
Voting as a Responsibility:
Voting is a fundamental right of every citizen and the minimum age for voting is 18 years in many countries. Voting not only enables the citizens to choose the leaders of tomorrow but also realizes the importance of citizenship. If citizens don’t cast their vote it means they are jeopardizing the existence of our democratic Republic.
NOTA:
NOTA stands for None of the Above and expresses that none of the candidates is good enough. Voting NOTA is especially important for those who aren’t satisfied by any party and don’t worry still your vote be counted. If in case the majority of the votes goes to NOTA, then the second majority party will come to power.
