Giving option of negative voting would empower voters and will accelerate effective political participation making the democracy vibrant, the Supreme Court today said.
"By providing NOTA (none of the above) button in the EVMs, it will accelerate the effective political participation in the present state of democratic system and the voters in fact will be empowered," a bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam said.
The apex court said negative vote will foster the purity of the electoral process and also fulfil one of its objectives, namely, wide participation of people.
It said there is a "dire need" for negative voting which will bring "systemic change" in the election process as "the political parties will be forced to accept the will of the people" and field clean candidates when a large number of people express their disapproval with the candidates being put up by them.
