question_answer

  How is the right to vote granted in a democracy? Give some instances where the right to vote is denied.

Answer:

  In a democracy, the right to vote is granted on the basis of universal adult franchise. In India, every adult above18 years has a right to vote without any discrimination. Although the principle of universal adult franchise has been accepted in almost all the countries, there are instances of denial of equal rights to vote as mentioned below (i) In Saudi Arabia, women did not have the right to vote. But king Abdullah of Saudi Arabia announced that women would cast their vote in 2015 municipal elections. (ii) Estonia has made its citizenship rules in such a way that people belonging to the Russian minority find it difficult to get the right to vote. (iii) In Fiji, the electoral system is such that the vote of an indigenous Fijian has more value than that of an Indian Fijian.                                                                                                                                                                    (3)