Last September, Supreme Court of India passed a landmark judgment by opining that "If right to vote is statutory, right to reject candidate is also a fundamental right of expression under Constitution". Court declared that Democracy is all about choice and if dejected with the candidates, one has every right to express displeasure by rejecting the entire lot and send a clear, unambiguous signal to Political Parties to find better alternatives. Henceforth, “None of the above” as an option will appear mandatorily in every ballot and voters can exercise that if needed. When Voters proclaim blanket dislikes for all, there will be re-election.  

 

This sets my imagination flying; suppose we decree that if 50% of the turned out voters cast their vote on “None of the above”, parties must recall earlier candidates and sent new ones for re-election? Moreover, what if those recalled candidates would be barred from contesting for another three years? Not only that, suppose somebody stands from multiple constituency and gets expunged in one, he would be automatically disqualified even if he emerges as winner in the other? What a revolutionary power it will bestow on the common man. 

 

We shout about People’s power, People’s Democracy but ultimately, in present context, common man is nothing but a puppet dancing to the tunes of various political parties. With this option, the true power will be with us, the common man. If we dislike the candidates, all we have to do is to cast our vote on “None of the above” option. 

 

In any Election, normally voter turnout varies from 50% to 65%. 50% of that is only 30% of the total voting population. So, if 30% of awakened populations are unhappy with the choices given by the Political parties, they can bring down the political parties on their knees. Taking one step forward, what if we mandate that the cost of reelection will be borne by those parties? What a shame will that be! 

 

Just imagine the impact. Each political party will put in candidates without any blemish. Re-election will be solely on the basis of good work. All indicted criminals, murderers, fraudsters will not be able to contest because no political party will take chance. People contesting from Multiple Electorate will be equally cautious. If they win in one constituency and Rejection verdict came in the other then they face disqualification for three years. Trend of senior leaders standing up from multiple constituencies will reduce dramatically which will bring in more honest and 

young politicians. 

 

Democracy is about choice and choosing to “Reject” is the biggest reward democracy can offer to people. In Nepal too the supreme court has already given the right to reject election candidates. Now, all the political parties of Nepal will need serious introspection and Civil Society will emerge stronger. In right democracy, freedom has to be universally upheld and protected, as Scot Howard Phillips stated aptly – “One can’t pick and chose which type of freedom one wants to defend. Either one defends all or against all such freedom.”