Show Me The Finger!

So it was V-day in Delhi yesterday! total turn-out came to be 53% with East Delhi recording the highest number of voters and South, the least.

All over India, states with high turn-out have been West Bengal, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Haryana while that with the lowest was Jammu and Kashmir.

Over the last few years, voter turnout has been steadily declining throughout the country.Though Delhi proudly stands as one of those few other states (or Union Territories) with an increased turn-out.

highly disappointing was the turnout result in Mumbai that stood to be only 43%. with all the awareness programmes, publicity and campaigns that drove the city in the wake of 26/11, everyone had expected bit more of it.

It is easy to bicker, easier still to raise a voice but very courageous to actually get-up and do something about it.

This lack of interest could be said to be a way of voters' boycott with the governance of the country. however they failed to take note of a few important things here.

First, if you don't vote you lose your voice. your vote is the way to tell what you want.

Second, if your reason to not vote was lack of a good leader in your opinion, you could go to the booths and cast a no-vote through the 49(O) option, the rule that allows a voter to vote for nobody by leaving a remark in the main register at the polling booth.

However, all said and done, i was one of the fortunate ones who got to excercise her/his right to vote for a 2nd time in a row.

Last year i voted in the State elections and each time it was the same feeling of belongingness to the nation.i felt like i matter, like i have a voice and iam proud to be able to raise it.

It could be that my choice of party comes to power or it could be vice versa. but what matters most is that i tried. i tried atleast to bring a change, even if in my own little way.

Valid reasons apart, if you didn't vote, you lost a golden opportunity that comes once every half a decade.

So next time i hear anyone telling me how screwed up the political jungle in the country is or how corrupt is the new leader, the one thing i am going to ask them is to show me The finger, show me your voice, show me your choice.