Hyderabad: We need solution to our problem and not appreciation said P. Chokka Rao, Secretary, AICB–All India Confederation of Blind. Making a reference to
KT Rama Rao, appreciating Blind, Disabled tuning up in good numbers to vote, he urged others to learn fron them(disabled). While thanking KT Rama Rao for his appreciation, Chokka Rao, the Secretary of India’s biggest and the oldest(40 years old) body for the blind community said, the Government has invited all other communities to Pragathi Bhavan for discussion to solve their problem. But, in the case of Blind, Disabled, they just ignored us. We are a minority people. They dont care us because we cant see. We have many problems. We urged government to invite us to Pragathi Bhavan to talk to us to solve our problems, Chokka Rao appealed to the government through a press note issued to the media in the city.
I am pained to see the poor turn out in the GHMC elections. I fully agree, with the Senior IPS
Officer Mr. VC Sajjanar, the Police Commissioner of Cyberabad. I fully endorse his views. Like Mr. Sajjanar said, the genuine votes should be given incentives and for those who shy away from voting should be penalized by denaying beneifts of various schemes of the government, said P. Chokka Rao.
Going one step ahead, Chokka Rao asked Election Commission to explore if they could make Voting Compulsory as prevailing in some countries. Penalties must be imposed on those who fail to do so without a valid reason.
Gujarath in our country made it mandatory. Gujarat Local Authorities Laws (Amendment) Act, 2009 makes it compulsory. The Act introduces an ‘obligation to vote’ at the municipal corporation, municipality and Panchayat levels in the state of Gujarat. Following the amendments, it has become the duty of a qualified voter to cast his vote at elections to each of these bodies, Chokka Rao reminded.
There are 22 countries in the world which made voting mandatory. These include: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, North Korea, Peru, Singapore and many other.
