Question

Answer in brief.

Explain any four methods of Voting?

Answer 1

1. Voting by Voice : under this method. The Chairman requests the members in favour of a motion to say 'Yes' and the members against the motion to say ‘No’. The volume of voice indicates the sense of the meeting. The main defect of this method is that it is not possible to trace the votes expressed by the members. Moreover, the voice of ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ may not always give the correct idea about the majority of votes in the meeting. This method of voting is not secret.
2. Voting by Division: Under this method. The Chairman requests the members in favour of a proposition to go in one room and those against the proposition to another. The number of members in the two rooms is counted by the ‘teller'. If more members are in favour of the proposal the proposal is accepted. This method is rarely used in company meetings as the voting does not remain secret.
3. Voting by show of hands (Companies Act 2013 Section 107) this is the most popular method of ascertaining the sense of a meeting. The members in favour of a proposition are first asked to raise their one hand. Thereafter similar procedure is adopted for those who are against the proposition. After counting the hands in both the cases the majority of votes are easily known. If the number of hands raised in favour of the proposal exceeds the number of hands raised against the proposal, the proposal is accepted.
4. Voting by Ballot: Under this method, every member is given a ballot paper (voting paper). The paper does not provide for writing the name of the voter. The voter has to record his vote and drop the paper in the ballot box. The Chairman appoints scrutinizers to count the votes. The result is declared by the Chairman on the basis of the counting. This method ensures complete secrecy. In this method, every member can cast only one vote.
5. Voting Electronically (Companies Act 2013, Section 108): Electronic voting is voting that uses electronic means to take care of casting and counting votes. In this method, electronic voting machine or computer connected to internet is used. Members view ballot on a screen and make choice using device such as button or touch screen. Now Central Government prescribe certain Companies for having compulsory electronic voting in general meeting. Chairman declares the result by studying output data and result shown by the voting machine.
6. Voting by Postal Ballot (Section 110) : Postal ballot is a system of voting in which members get ballot papers sent to them through post. Members have to record vote on the ballot paper and send their vote by post when they cannot be present at the meeting. Election officials count the votes by processing the mailed in ballots through electronic means or may count the votes manually. Now Central Government prescribe certain companies for having voting by postal ballot.
7. Voting by Poll : This method is similar to the secret ballot method with the only change that every member is entitled to cast his votes in proportion to the number of shares held by him. A member or their proxies are given polling papers to record their votes. The result of poll is anal and not be challenged. A poll can be demanded at any time before or immediately after the declaration of results by other voting methods. If the demand is valid, the Chairman accepts it and fixes the time and the place for taking the poll. In any case, the Poll must be taken within 48 hours of the demand made by the members.