India’s Right to Vote: A Hard-Earned Legacy

In addition to fundamental rights, Indian citizens are also granted constitutional rights. Among these, the right to property and the right to vote are particularly significant, as they enable Indian voters to engage directly in governance through their elected officials. The right to vote is a cornerstone of Indian democracy. Notably, this right was a topic of intense discussion during the freedom movement. Mahatma Gandhi, known as the Father of the Nation, advocated for the right to vote for every adult Indian without discrimination. At the Congress Party convention in Karachi in 1931, a resolution was passed to grant fundamental rights to citizens. However, even earlier, in 1928, under the leadership of Shri Moti Lal Nehru, the Congress Party established a committee to draft the Indian Constitution. This committee aimed to include representatives from all classes and professions in India, but it faced opposition from Jinnah's Muslim League. Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose were also part of this committee.

In the report prepared by the committee, it was recommended to give the right of one vote to adults of all classes, castes, occupations and communities. Earlier, the British had given the right of voting to only a select few. This included only people from the highly educated and landlord class. This vote percentage was only around two to three percent which was increased to around 11 percent in 1935. But Moti Lal Committee unanimously recommended to give it on 100 percent adult basis. In fact, this committee had prepared a rough draft of the Constitution of India. It also included topics like relations between the center and the states and language. The rights of the central government and the state governments were also decided by this committee. In 1931, the Congress session was chaired by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and under his chairmanship, the proposal to give fundamental rights to the citizens was passed. Along with the proposal to give complete independence to India, the promise of giving fundamental rights to the citizens against the government was given in this session. But a special provision was made for Muslims that the government would not interfere in the rules of their domestic affairs. The reason for this was that in 1930, a convention of the Muslim League was held in Allahabad in which a demand was made to create a separate state for Muslims.

The renowned poet Allama Iqbal chaired this League convention, during which the League advocated for the establishment of a separate state or nation for Muslims. Subsequently, Muhammad Ali Jinnah labeled the Congress as a Hindu organization and referred to Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad as its puppet or figurehead. Consequently, the Congress made special allowances to ensure Muslim participation in the national freedom movement. However, when India was partitioned based on religion, these allowances were criticized as appeasement. During this period, the constitution was being drafted under the leadership of Baba Saheb Ambedkar. In crafting the constitution, Baba Saheb prioritized the recommendations of the Motilal Nehru Committee, granting the right to vote to individuals of all castes and religions in independent India, as previously suggested by the Motilal Nehru Committee's report. Documenting this history is essential for the younger generation to understand the struggles and processes that led to their right to vote. Therefore, if the Election Commission removes 6.5 million names from the voter list in Bihar, it raises concerns about the implications. The issue of comprehensive voter revision in Bihar is currently under review by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court has instructed the Election Commission to justify the removal of such a significant number of voters, to publish the list of deleted names, and to ensure widespread awareness. At every block (Prakhand) level, it is crucial for people to be informed about whose names have been removed and the reasons behind it.

The Election Commission reports that approximately 2.2 million voters have died since 2003, sparking significant controversy. Some individuals declared deceased by the Commission have been found to be alive. Additionally, the Commission states that over 3 million voters have left Bihar and relocated elsewhere. Previously, the Election Commission informed the Supreme Court that it was not required to provide reasons for removing voter names. The Supreme Court deemed this stance inappropriate and issued new directives. It is clear that the Election Commission cannot justify such actions from a position of authority, as its primary responsibility is to register voters. Certainly, some individuals in Bihar have passed away over the past 28-30 years, and many have migrated to other states, but the Commission's decision to withhold the list of names was entirely unilateral and arbitrary. As the guardian of India's voters, the Election Commission has the ultimate duty to compile an accurate voter list. Thus, by mandating the publication of the list, the Supreme Court has reinforced India's democracy and emphasized the importance of common people's participation as its foremost duty.