Voting is a responsibility than a right

Voting is a responsibility and not a right
During the Chennai floods in December 2015, a lot of enthusiastic youngsters came together to help each other. Most of them were first time volunteers who had the intent to help. Quite a few of them didn’t know where and how to go about it.  However, it just did not matter as social media was a great connector. It helped people to find where to associate with and provide relief work. More notably, experience of volunteering or helping didn’t matter. The cause and intent was bigger than familiarity. Therefore, what we saw was fantastic collaboration of minds, hands and legs working in tandem to help the needy. The floods shook up every citizen practically and emotionally. Having demonstrated what the youth can do, it is only logical that we expect more from them during the forthcoming 2016 TN Assembly Election. 
Here are five reasons why you must vote

1. Democracy at work: You are part of the largest democracy in the world. If you don’t vote, the democracy becomes less effective. World over, people have been amazed by the efficiency with which India has gone about its elections. You can make it more effective
2. Youth Power: India has never been vibrant than now in terms of opportunities, growth and the promise it holds for the future. And that is primarily fuelled by the fact that it has the largest youth population in today’s times. Let us make it count.
3. Knowledge precedes experience: This is one responsibility where experience doesn’t matter. Your understanding does
4. Fulfil your responsibility: The country is run by you and me. A leader is only a representation of us. Nobody fines you like in college. You have only your conscience to answer. By fulfilling your responsibility, you qualify to criticise. 
5. Golden chance: This is one opportunity that comes every five years. And five years is too long a time for costly mistakes. Change begins when the mind marries intent with action. 

Voting is your biggest responsibility in your life after perhaps your board exams. Here is a quick guide on going about fulfilling it.

1. Know whom to support: Read the election manifesto of all the parties in the fray. Take the top challenges in your constituency and see who stands a chance to address them
2. Do some ground work: Spend some time googling about the candidates in your constituency.  
3. Healthy debates help: Share your views on political parties with your friends and get their perspectives
4. A home of views: Parents have stood testimony to the past and know how successive governments have fared. Historical inputs will be of real help.
5. The day of voting: Be sure to know the polling booth where your franchise is allotted and report on time. Voting provides scope for malpractice by power hungry parties. Refuse to accept someone else vote on your name just because you arrived later in the day.

Lastly, you can always do your bit in encouraging others to vote. Your domestic maid, your laundry man, the paper delivery boy, the milk man and the like. Remember, what you give is what you get. If you need good governance, become a part of the system "yatha praja tatha raja” - A king is only as good as his subjects

- Shashikanth Jayaraman

More articles from the author at www.shashikanthjayaraman.com