Starting off with 17.32 crore voters in the first Indian general election held 68 years ago, India, today, still struggles behind with the overall voter turnout. With social media channels and private organisations being instructed by Indian authorities and influencers to educate the masses regarding the importance of voting, this has in turn seen a rise in debate among the citizens. Many prominent entities are cajoling voters to step out to vote this election.
Fine to those who do not vote: After observing a low voting turnout in the 17th Lok Sabha elections in several urban areas in India, NITI Aayog CEO, Amitabh Kant urged the government to make voting compulsory just like Australia. Fuelled by the low turnout of voters in the general election, Kant suggested a similar compulsory voting mechanism for India where citizens must be fined for not voting. Inshorts conducted its #DailyInsights Poll asking its millennial users if they too agree with Amitabh Kant. 72% of the users said that they want India to fine those who do not vote.
Voting facility for Indians “away from home”: Wanted to vote in the Lok Sabha Polls and no facility provided by the government for Indians living abroad to vote, Bollywood actor, Rishi Kapoor tweeted that he sought the assistance of the Indian Consulate office in New York to cast a vote from abroad. The actor is undergoing therapeutic treatment in the USA. On conducting Inshorts #DailyInsights Poll, 78% of the millennial respondents agreed that there should be voting facilities for Indians living abroad.
