World Environment Day Special

World Environment Day Special
By Asha World Environment Day is ‘just another’ day for most of us। But for some, the significance of this dedicated day is a reason to take the environment seriously and work towards making it cleaner and healthier। One such initiative taken by 91।00 FM with the culminated efforts by AGNI (Action for Good Governance and Networking in India)

K-East Ward and Sanjeevini Trust (Chimat pada) to clean the 11th Road, MIDC, Andheri (E) on the eve of World Environment Day was a huge success.

The cleaning drive taken up on the 4th of June 2006 has left the 11th Road, MIDC, Andheri (E), a lot more clean and environment friendly. The drive initiated by 91.00 FM had no particular area in mind. AGNI (K-East Ward) chose the MIDC area, not randomly, but with a reason. This 11th Road, MIDC is one of the most crowded and busy areas as it houses not only residents, but also a school (Maruti School) and a home for Women in Distress called ‘Shanti Ghar’. The existence of garbage dumps and dirty drains led to a stench and had made commuting very inconvenient, leaving apart the high probability of sickness. Considering the increasing population and the proportionally increasing unhygienic condition, AGNI (K-East Ward) zeroed onto this area.

AGNI (K-East Ward) had to follow procedures by taking permissions from Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the MIDC police station, before going ahead with the cleaning drive. Once the permission was sought, the next step was to gather volunteers for this drive. People from AGNI (K-East Ward) and Sanjeevini Trust (Chimat Pada) volunteered for this work, thereby bringing the total number of volunteers to 45. The sight before starting work, seemed like an insurmountable task, but the volunteers put their heart and soul into cleaning this area and making it look altogether different after three hours of continuous work. The basic amenities were taken care of by BMC, which provided the volunteers with brooms, cranes to pick up the garbage and also garbage trucks in order to ease transportation. Huge plastic garbage bins supplied by Neel Kamal were utilized to the fullest, by the volunteers. It was an activity which involved cleaning drains clogged with muck, garbage and roads littered with trash. Although, the surrounding lingered with the unpleasant smell of the garbage, there was an air of enthusiasm amongst the volunteers. Sporting their T-shirts sponsored by Lifebuoy, the volunteers worked as a team on a mission. And while this hard work continued, the MIDC police made sure, they were provided full protection, in order to not disrupt their functioning.

Such cleaning drives are not new to the volunteers of AGNI (K - East Ward), who take up this exercise regularly in different areas. They voluntarily clean up the orthopedic ward of Cooper hospital on the third Sunday of every month. They have been doing this since 14 months now. This cleaning drive is just an added feather to their cap.



This voluntary activity witnessed involvement of people from all age groups ranging from 25 - 70. But the paradoxical part was that none of the residents of 11th Road; MIDC participated in this drive, while all the non residents volunteered to clean up the area. An act, which should have been taken up sincerely and whole heartedly by all the residents, was carried out by a few concerned citizens, who cannot see their city going down the drains. This cleaning drive undertaken on the occasion of World Environment Day is an example of how some people want to bring about a change, but the rest are just indifferent.

The phrase ‘Cleanliness is next to Godliness’ is these days restricted and applicable only to one’s house and not extended to one’s surroundings. But organisations like AGNI (K-East Ward) and Sanjeevini Trust (Chimat Pada) have taken it upon them to prove it otherwise and are determined to make a better society with a cleaner environment.

राईट तो इन्फोर्मेशन एफ्फेक्ट

Right To Information EFFECT

In all societies, there is a conscious effort to give some advantage to those with financial, historical or physical disabilities. Even people who do not really subscribe to this view, make an attempt to be politically correct and practice their discrimination without leaving a paper trail of any overt discrimination against the disadvantaged or dispossessed.

One would be skeptical about his story that that though he was selected without any concession being made for his disability, the powers that be were willing to throw all fairness and decency to the wind & this in an ‘educational’ institution,- the N.G.Acharya & D.K.Marathe College of Arts and Science.

Shri Chandrakant Sasane a young man of 31 belongs to the scheduled caste and is blind. He has done his M.A. in Social Work. Using Right To Information, He asked for documentary evidence from the College as well as the University, which would prove that though he was selected by the University without any concession being given for his physical disability, the college had been insensitive and brazen enough to refuse to appoint him to teach the ‘philosophy foundation course’!

The college has not replied, and one will have to take recourse to the penal provisions of RTI to teach them how to become law abiding. The information given by the Bombay University is devastating. A selection Committee,- where seven of the eight members were present and have signed on 14 September, 2004, unanimously selected Shri Chandrakant Sasane for appointment as lecturer to teach Foundation Course in Philosophy. The post was reserved for SC/ST and six candidates had been interviewed. The selection Committee also included the Principal and the Head of Department of the college. On 16 September, 2005 the University sent the recommendation to the college to appoint him.

The college did not issue the letter of appointment to Shri Sasane, for reasons we have to guess. Without assigning any reasons for this, the college asked the University for permission to again advertise for the post on 19 April, 2005. On 11, July, 2005 the University refused permission to the college to advertise for this post, since they had not appointed Shri Sasane! It is unbelievable that a blind person would be treated so callously and a clear paper evidence is available.

The elite of Mumbai laugh at Bihar; this is the story of a blind young man waiting for a job for about seventeen months now, in Chembur, Mumbai for which he was selected with no concession for his disability!

This evidence now brought to Public notice will hopefully get Mr. Sasane his job.
Right To Information will continue to expose misdeeds and common Citizens everywhere will seek continue to seek accountability.
He stays at – Lokmanya Nagar, Pada no.4, Near Santoshi Mata Temple, Thane 400606.

Mera Bharat Mahaan..Nahi Hai,Per Yeh Dosh Mera Hai.

टीम फॉर लोकल गोवेर्नांस

Time for Local Governance
India is a 59-year-old Republic of the people, by the people, but for whom? Why do we Indians feel powerless and hopeless in this great Republic? If India could win back freedom after 300 years of foreign rule, can we not bring about a change in the present form of governance which is less than 6 decades old? Does our duty as citizens end once we caste our vote or pay our taxes?
The major problem of our country as we know, are the politicians themselves, who interfere in almost all matters concerning the executive as well as judiciary. Often they shame the administrative decisions and over-rule court orders. Letting the government decide without our participation in matters concerning us has left politicians with absolute powers - opens to corruption.
Given the existing Indian polity, during elections citizens are limited to exercising their franchise in favor of a candidate in whose selection they have no control or role to play. Persons with intellect, integrity and commitment to public service are either denied or prevented from contesting in the present political arena. Invariably, we end up with no choice, but to vote for the best candidate from among the WORST.
What is the solution to effect a change in the present system one may ask? Well, change demands better elected representatives, which in turn requires good candidature/nomination for election in the first place.
This can possibly happen in two ways. The first is to put up citizens' candidate for election. The citizens' candidate could emerge from a consensus between various like minded organizations in a Corporator constituency. This candidate can be selected/nominated on merit, thus supported and promoted by the local NGOs/ALMs/Societies, etc. as Citizens' Consensus Candidate.
The second is through formation of Ward Committees or 'bhaghidari' (partnership) system for effective form of governance. A Ward Committee besides having an elected Councillor, will consist of number of elected representatives from ALMs, LACC and/or other active neighborhood groups.
All politics and governance become functional at a local level. Therefore, its time for concerned citizens and groups to start preparing for the Municipal Corporator Elections early next year. Jai Hind.
Adolf D'Souza
AGNI Coordinator
K West Ward

थे ट्रेजेडी ऑफ़ लाइफ इस नॉट डेथ

The tragedy of life is not death

The tragedy of life is not death , but what we let die inside of us while we live.
“ Son , when you were born , you cried while the whole world rejoiced. Live your life in such a way that when you die the world cries while you rejoice” this was said by my mother.
We live in an age when we have forgotten what life is all about. We can easily put a person on the Moon , fire a missile across the world but we have lost touch with our humanity & we have also lost touch with what is our purpose of life.
My answer always begins the same way , find your calling. I believe we all have special talents that is just waiting to be tapped for a worthy pursuit. We all are here for some unique purpose , some noble objective that will allow us to manifest our highest human potential while we , at the same time , add value to the lives around us.
Finding your calling does not mean you must leave the job you now have , it simply means you need to bring more of yourself into your work & focus on the things you do best
It simply means you have to stop waiting for other people to make the changes you desire.
Mahatma Gandhi once noted “ be the change that you wish to see most in your world “
Once you do , your life will change , DO LET US KNOW.

लोकल एरिया सितिजें कोमित्ते (लचक)

Local Area Citizen Committee ( LACC )
BMC Initiative to come closer to the citizens.

Formation of Local Area Citizen Committees ( LACC ) ensures citizens participation through the involvement of Community based organization ( CBOs ) & NGOs in improving the delivery of civic services & improving the urban environment has been encouraged by the BMC through various mechanisms & schemes such as Advanced Locality Management ( ALM ) , Dattak Vasti Yojana , Online Complaint Management System ( OCMS ) , adoption of footpaths , playgrounds , gardens & also through construction , operation & maintenance of toilets.

Under the ALM setup local citizens groups can interact with the BMC officials once in a month at the ward office level. The meetings are chaired by Ward Officer & is attended by all the HODs of the ward.

In order to ensure delivery & proper monitoring of quality civic services with the full participation of community it has been found necessary to further decentralize the monitoring mechanism.

Based on the feed back about the urgent need to strengthen citizens participation with greater involvement of elected representatives & voluntary citizens groups in the improvement of the urban environment & delivery of civic services at the local level it has now been decided to create a decentralized mechanism for regular interaction between voluntary citizen groups representing a beat of 3 to 5 roads , elected councilors & municipal officials for achieving timely & efficient delivery of municipal services & bringing about a better physical environment at the local level by creating awareness among citizens about their civic rights & responsibilities.

LACC will be formed at the level of each Councilor ward to deal with the following subjects ,

a. Cleanliness & Garbage Collection.
b. Water Supply & Sanitation.
c. Regulation of hawking.
d. Safety of pedestrians & parking of vehicles.
e. Maintenance of roads , footpaths , storm water drains ( SWD ) including installation & maintenance of street furniture & bus stops & proper regulation of digging & re instatement of trenches excavated by utilities.
f. Roadside plantation & public gardens.
g. Disaster Management.
h. Any other matter relating to public safety , public health & public amenities as decided by the Committee.

The Committee will consist of the following ,

a. Ward Officer.
b. Municipal Councillor of the Ward.
c. Jr. Engg. ( Maintenance )
d. Jr. Engg. ( Water Works )
e. Jr. Overseer of Solid Waste Management ( SWM )
f. Jr. Overseer of Pest Control Office.
g. Representatives of Voluntary ALM of the areas selected by the Ward Officer for each beat in the Councillor Ward.
h. Voluntary Area Representative ( VAR )

The Ward Officer will act as the Convener of the Committee.

VAR will be selected by the Ward Officer of the ward for every beat consisting of a cluster of building on 3 to 5 roads. In each councilor ward there will be around 8 to 12 beats & each beat will be represented by a VAR. The Ward Officer will select VARs for beats other than those already represented by existing ALM groups based on the past record of their activities & their capacity & willingness to work with BMC to create awareness among citizens about their civic responsibilities & facilitate cooperation between citizen & civic officials in respect of the matters included within purview of the LACC.

Meetings of the LACC will be held at pre selected Municipal School buildings on alternate Saturdays & will be attended by the Ward Officer or his representative who is not below the rank of Assistant Engineer. The Ward Officer shall attend the meeting of every LACC at least once in a month & he may invite the officer in charge of the local police station , the traffic police & concerned officers of the BEST & other public & private utility services to attend meetings of the LACC to deal with issues concerning them whenever required.

Junior Engineer or Junior Overseer who is a member of the LACC will be made responsible by the Ward Officer to write the minutes of the meeting & submit the same to Ward Officer & to circulate to all the concerned departments / agencies for taking necessary action. He will also prepare action taken reports for the committees after obtaining reports from all concerned. The Municipal Commissioner will review the formation of the LACC & their functioning every month.

By Ashok Pai

WHERE ARE WE HEADING TO ?

"A man who believes in himself and not circumstances is the real winner
- SWAMI VIVEKANANDA

We Indians are the wealthiest among all ethnic groups in America, even faring better than the whites and the natives. There are 3.22 Millions INDIANs in USA (1.5 % of population).

YET, 38% of doctors , 12% scientists , 36% of NASA scientists , 34% of Microsoft employees , 28% of IBM employees , 17% of INTEL scientists , 13% of XEROX employees in USA are INDIANs.
Albert Einstein said "We owe a lot to the Indians, who taught us how to count, without which no worthwhile scientific discovery could have been made"

Mark Twain said “ India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend and the great grand mother of tradition"

French scholar Romain Rolland says "If there is one place on the face of earth where all dreams of living men have found a home from the very earliest days when man began the dream of existence, it is India"

we don't see even a glimpse of that great India in the India that we see today, it clearly means that we are not working up to our potential, and that if we do, we could once again be an ever shining and inspiring country setting a bright path for rest of the world to follow.

Now , what has happened to us , were are we leading our self to , every were scams , illegality & wrong doings , Most of the buildings in Ulasnagar is illegal , the Judiciary got them selves activated on this case & passed appropriate orders , then very persons who had committed the crime became the interveners & as they are the ones who hold powers they could get a ordinance passed to save the illegal buildings ( viz. do a crime & if you have a god father politician get a ordinance to regularize it ) , same was the case in delhi also & interestingly same was the result in delhi also BILL FOR REGULARISATION.

Who are these god fathers who make these ordinances , what are their interests in getting a ordinance passed , are they knowledgeable enough to work on such subjects.

The answer to the queries is ‘ POLITICIAN ‘ , what are their interest , nothing much , not at all a kind heart that these poor people will suffer if their houses are demolished , then what ‘ VOTE BANKS ‘ which they have created so that their interests are always safe in ILLEGALITY. They always would like that you should have some illegality , so that you are under their clutches , for ever & he for ever has a safe guard that you are his VOTE BANK.

So what should be done to remove these politicians once & for all , like the way our fore fathers wrestled the mighty English Men to throw them out of the country ( but sadly for us the whites left & our brothers took over ) , we all need to come out in the open & fight for our rights & see to it that all our citizens vote during polls , but there is again a question , whom to vote for , as all are scamsters or criminals , we can have a reprieve if the election commission passes the NONE OF THE ABOVE button which every body is eagerly waiting for , but till then let us vote for the best amongst the worst.
YOU CAN CONTACT US ON RAVI - 9821295960, JAMES:- 932408610

By JAMES JOHN

AGNI-Lighting The Flame At M.L.Dahanukar College(mumbai)

Raid those prostitution dens! Work your way into the night! One girl I save from the clutches, goes miles for my achievement! They had the students enthralled!
Then it was their turn to be at the receiving end.Adolph D’Souza, Corporator and Ward Committee Chairman, K-West Ward, James John and his team-members couldn’t help closing their mouth lest they exclaim at the outburst of electrifying questions put up by the students.
The screening of the documentary on the Protest Vote under Section 49-O of the Code of Conduct Election Rules 1961 and the importance of voting hit the nail on the head. If Representatives of the people are one of the pillars of our democracy; Executive, Judiciary and Fourth Estate are the other three, then definitely the slab that caps it all are ‘We, The People’.
“If I submit a petition now, when I am twenty years old, probably I’ll be fighting it out in the Supreme Court when I am forty?” asked Keyur Vaidya, SYJC student of Dahanukar College.
Keyur waited outside the Principal’s cabin for over forty-five minutes, awaiting James John, AGNI Co-ordinator along with his team and Adolf D’Souza, Corporator, who spent a substantial amount of time, chalking out plans for students’ active involvement and commitment to activism for a brighter, better world.
Surprised to see Keyur waiting so long, James and his team spared some more time to answer the young lad’s unending list of questions.
As Principal Dr.Madhavi Pethe said, “Let’s tackle things together. If we work for a cause, then we realize the fulfillment from our inner being”. As Jaimala Deorukhar Librarian, Prof.Mrs.Char, Prof.Mrs.Kumaran and Prof.Mrs.Sudha of the organizing team of M.L.Dahanukar cast a valid non-election protest vote in the August Assembly, expressing their views on the need for betterment of civic life in the city and in the nation, the students teamed up to participate in Agni Volunteer work. One could perceive young minds striving to come to terms with the reality of corruption, prostitution and other ills, simultaneously realizing their need to commit themselves.
The presentation by the AGNI team in the College Auditorium was up for grabs. Gandhiji’s letter possibly had as many takers, as the takers for the talk on Activism, The Right To Information Act and Corporate Governance, interspersed with the very ideology of democracy, that the AGNI team touched upon.
Continuing with planning a cell on ‘Right To Information’, Mr.Ashok Pai spoke on students’ participation. He asked them that if they were to purchase a Mercedes car in the future, would they enjoy driving it on such bad roads? Definitely not, came the reply. Then the solution lay in getting down to work towards improving the roads as active citizen groups! Gang up and work for your country!
Adolph D’Souza, Corporator, emphasized the fact that blaming the system, criticizing the Government, grumbling, passing on the buck, was not the solution. The only solution was
‘Get down to work as an active citizen!’
The call won the day, for the students’ were charged! As James John and team members Ashok Pai, CD Soman, Mrs. Bernedetta Rosario, Pramod Sawant and Anil Tawde wound up the session, they had just unwound a host of pent-up student feelings that depicted in one voice, as the students’ put it, ‘Humlog Bhi Kuch Kam Nahin. Kuch Karke Dikhayenge.’
Indeeed, the closing note marked the beginning of tiny flames surfacing. That’s AGNI, lighting the flame within.
YOU CAN CONTACT US ON RAVI - 9821295960, JAMES:- 932408610

BY Sudha Subramaniam
Faculty
M.L.Dahanukar College.

अग्नि-अँधेरी ईस्ट जग्ग -मुम्बई एड ठोस विथ एड्स

अग्नि On Sunday 16 Dec 2007 AGNI K EAST JAAG members comprising of students from ML Dhanakur College of Commerce , Vileparle & Nirmala Niketan , Churchgate had visited Terminally ill AIDS patients at Jyothi Care Centre , Kalamboli & Taloja. Jyothis Charitable Trust is run by the sisters of the Destitute. What had started off 5 years back as a casual visit by Mr. James John & Rev. Sr. Chitra has today resulted in two bus load full of members willing to spend their off day to be with the less fortunate ones. The group was growing with every passing year & AGNI K EAST JAAG members surely makes it a point to visit the home at least once in a year. The group was given great insight regarding how the home is being run & regarding the sickness by Rev. Sr. Infanta & Dr. Divya. Rev. Sr. Infanta had informed that the home was the first for terminally ill AIDS patients in Maharashtra started way back in 1999. The sisters who run the home spend day and night with the AIDS patients, listening to their grief, counseling them and awakening them to a positive frame of mind. Sometimes fights in the middle of the night have to be taken care of, sometimes suicidal tendencies have to be averted. No easy job, rather, one which demands a lot of sacrifice, courage and discipline. Those who improve are sent to the Rejuvenation home at Taloja. Some of the afflicted children are totally unaware of their dire strait of life. There was an question & answer session were members had put in varied questions relating to the sickness , about the home , about how a dead person is buried , about how a person with AIDS is operated , the society’s outlook to such patients . There was a question / suggestion from one of the students regarding having HIV medical certificate before a marriage is arranged. Rev. Sr. Infanta informed the gathering that so much money comes to India for HIV / AIDS out of which not a single penny comes to the home. Dr. Divya rightly puts it, “ It is the duty of those in the Medical Profession to counsel an HIV patient of the treatment required, the cost that has to be incurred for ART ( Anti Retroviral Therapy) and the need to take one’s family into confidence. Moreover, casual attitude must never be exercised in the matter of use of gloves by Doctors and nurses, proper sterilization of needles, necessary hygiene and care” She was also very strong in asserting the need to do something for HIV patients requiring operations to be performed, a task which nearly all Hospitals refused to do, in spite of the judicial verdict that necessary operations must be performed for AIDS patients”. Dr. Divya was overjoyed to see such a big group consisting of youngsters & she informed that this would go in a great way to educate the society. The Jyothi Home gives free medicines to the patients. It is the love, the care and the prayers that are fed to these patients, whose sunrises are numbered. Some of them come from very good families and pay the price of a single mistake. Some are helpless victims who curse the man. Some are turned out from home after the man has passed away within one day of marriage. The capacity of the Home at Kalamboli is currently 30 women and ten men & 40 women only at Taloja. Dr. Divya hopes the Medical Profession will increasingly realize the importance of essential counseling and assistance. Quack Doctors proclaiming complete cure through pasting ads in local trains, etc. has added to the nuisance and she very strictly doles out the no-nonsense attitude to the innumerable patients who ask if they can go to these practitioners. Mr. James John informed the gathering that we at AGNI K EAST JAAG have a three fold approach towards such visits which are as follows , a. educating the masses especially through Late Shri Rajiv Gandhi formula of ‘ each one teach one ’ so that the patients are treated as one among us & eradicating the stigma of un touchablity associated with the disease. b. such homes / centers need money to run the center , money to build such structures , money to pay electricity , water , food , clothing , medicines , toiletries etc. c. providing contacts for such patients who are turned away from hospitals so that they can be placed at such homes. All the members had lunch at the home which was followed by the ghazal singing by Shri Prakash and his entourage who had touched the hearts of the inmates with their soul filling ghazals which saw request from the inmates for their choiced numbers & he touched the hearts of each & every one present requesting Shri Prakashji & his group to go on and on. All those present joined in with clapping of hands. The next program was a skit by the Dahanukar students, titled, “ Where is Love ? Here is Love ”. This was followed by a song -dance sequel with everyone joining in. Simple carefree moments sung from the heart conveyed the depth of care that humanity can portray; the pangs of anguish that can be stilled with love. As Ms. Anita David of M.L.Dahanukar strummed on her guitar, Nisha, Fatema, Shweta, Jayesh, Pooja, accompanying Dahanukar faculty Prof. Sudha and the rest could feel themselves vibrating with feeling; could realize the joys that we can share. In simple moments filled with eternity the impact of an inescapable malady that constitutes part of harsh reality left a deep mark on the students. Shweta, FYBMS student, spoke up for everybody, by committing themselves to collect contributions from every student and send it to the center , which is totally dependent on such assistance. In fact, the friendship bands tied by the students to the inmates at the home seemed to hold a lot of promise for them. This was reflected in innocent eyes that lit up with joy by simple lovable deeds. Principal Dr. Madhavi Pethe of M.L.Dahanukar College and the NSS unit-in-charge Mr.Pagaar Narayan, were all praise for the students. As Dr. Pethe succinctly summed it up, “Great work”. Indeed, the oath the students took along with all the members at the start of the journey spoke volumes. In unison the chorus rose, “ We pledge to commit our lives in whatever way we can, to work for the cause of the needy and the underprivileged ”. Shri Davinder Pal Narang has put in very rightly when he spoke of Mrs. Sudha Subramanium that ML Dhanakur College students are very much privileged to have such an lecturer with them who is always on her toes to motivate the students for civil society participation. He further went on to say that he did not have such privilege thus he informed the students that they should be thankful to GOD for the gift they have received. Finally after having tea with the inmates we left the home to reach the Taloja home & spent time there to reach our homes late at night by 10 PM. For the three approaches that अग्नि K EAST JAAG had evolved these was the success , for the first one succeeded in spreading the message through the personal contacts & having such a big group for the visit especially through the students & by having lunch and tea along with the inmates at the home. For the second by donating bags of clothes , rice , wheat , biscuits , etc. an amount of Rs. 40,000/- was also collected & donated to the home. James John had an final message to all the members that each one of us can replicate the points , Please pass the message that persons with this disease in not at all untouchable , we should take care & love them & look after them. We a small group could make such collections for donations if each and every one of us stretch ourselves we can really help such homes were our donations really reaches the beneficiaries. If we come to know persons who are afflicted by the disease & if the hospitals & the family members do not look after them the home is always ready to look after such persons. Donations to the home can be made in favor of ‘ Jyothis Charitable Trust ’ by cheque , cash & kind. The home is in need of assistance from your side , which can be made in cheque , cash & even kind. You can call the center to know their needs. Jyothis Charitable Trust , Plot No. 4 , Sector 11 , Kalamboli , Navi Mumbai – 410 218 , Ph. : 2742 3399 -- YOU CAN CONTACT US ON RAVI - 9821295960 . JAMES JOHN - 9324086140

VOTE IT IS YOUR DUTY ----- OR PROTEST YOUR VOTE BY CASTING PROTEST VOTE

You should know that there is provision in The Conduct of Elections Rules , 1961 that allows you to convey to the election officer that you don't want to vote for anyone? Sec 49-O allows you to cast a protest vote. THE CONDUCT OF ELECTIONS RULES, 1961 Clause 49O. Elector deciding not to vote.-If an elector, after his electoral roll number has been duly entered in the register of voters in Form-17A and has put his signature or thumb impression thereon as required under sub-rule (1) of rule 49L, decided not to record his vote, a remark to this effect shall be made against the said entry in Form 17A by the presiding officer and the signature or thumb impression of the elector shall be obtained against such remark. But why should you do this? This is a way by which citizens can protest against the candidates & also you do your duty by casting your precious vote even though you hate all of them. And in the long run this may help The Election Commission come up with NON OF THE ABOVE OPTION. Hope so this would serve as a lesson to political parties who would have no choice but to look for genuinely clean candidates. This could change our entire political system. It is surprising the Election Commission has not made this provision public yet. Citizen groups have been promoting the idea of casting a protest vote if one is unhappy with the kind of candidates standing from his / her constituency and believes neither deserves his/her vote...... I had cast a protest vote and was absolutely appalled at the reaction of the presiding officers who said to me that if you do not want to cast you vote " go stay at home , why do you come here !! " ghar baithne ka, idhar kaiko aaya!!! “...all that for exercising clause49 of the election rules!! We hope all citizens will respond to this PROTEST VOTE CALL , then we do not need to settle for a lesser evil representative than the evil one.
YOU CAN CONTACT US ON RAVI - 9821295960, JAMES:- 932408610