Why is Voting day a public holiday? A loss to nation, voting percentage doesn’t increase too

We assume that if we free up the day, people will go and vote, but do we really need a day? It is very common at most voting booth stobe come free in less than 15 minutes, a few might take an hour or more but those are less common. So why cant employees plan to vote before or after working hours or take time off to go vote, and comeback?

The basic premise that a holiday will increase voting percentage is flawed at multiple levels. It is a proven fact that many European countries who have higher voting percentages than US, do not have public holidays. So its all about vote a pathy, either we are not impressed by our politician seeking the vote or we feel that one vote does not matter.

It is really time to both do away with holidays and at the same time also make voting mandatory for everyone, build in some disincentives for not voting, such as asking employers to report attendance on the voting day. We can also link it to Provident Fund payment for the days those who don’t vote don’t get PF or ESI benefit due to their absence.

We also need to consider keeping all voting days to be only on Wednesdays, so there is no option to club with a week end and get enticed with the opportunity of taking a long weekend off. If there are any genuine issues which need only Fridays and Mondays, those should be discussed thread bare and the day should be avoided at all costs.

When the first past the post system of voting and elections means that some one with 31% of the vote becomes our MP, with less than 50% voting it means that only 15% actually chose him or her and he gets to ‘rule’ for 5 years, is this true democracy? If we have given up trying to get people to voting booths, then let us give upon the holiday too, let’s work harder on that day!