New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday observed that voters should be able to cast their votes in Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections without any fear of being victimised if his vote is disclosed. It said voting is a part of the freedom of expression and "secrecy is a must and is insisted upon all over the world in democracies where direct elections are involved".
"It is further observed that democracy and free elections are a part of the basic structure of the Constitution. It is also for the observed that election is a mechanism which ultimately represents the will of the people. The essence of the electoral system should be to install freedom of voters to exercise their free choice. Therefore, any attempt of booth capturing and or bogus voting should be dealt with iron hands because it ultimately affects the rule of law and democracy. Nobody can be permitted to dilute the right to free and fair election," the judgement read.
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The bench comprising Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice MR Shah made observations in their judgement pertaining to a case of sentencing eight men accused of unlawful assembly, violence, snatching voters slips and cast bogus voting in a Bihar election in 1989.
