With the completion of two phases of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, voters have been flaunting their inked fingers, especially on social media, proud of having fulfilled their civic duties and urging their fellow citizens to cast their votes.
In a similar vein, students appearing for the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) Chartered Accountancy (CA) exam this year have also been posting photographs of their fingers on social media platform X, but with one striking difference – their fingers aren’t inked.
Why are these aspirants posting these pictures?
This move of theirs can be attributed to their ongoing legal battle against the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, to postpone the CA exams which were rescheduled and now will be conducted from May 2 to 17, 2024.
Aspirants say that this date clashes with the dates of the Lok Sabha elections and that the election-related activities might hinder their preparation or even their plans to reach the exam centre in a timely manner. This might also keep them from voting, as most would be compelled to prepare rather than exercise their democratic right to vote.
Thus, many candidates took to X to lament having to sacrifice voting in this election due to the exams.
Dolly Agarwal (@DollyAg56241992), who describes themselves as a “CA Finalist” in their X bio, wrote “RIGHT TO VOTE is not a fundamental right for CA STUDENTS” in her post.
A few aspirants even expressed their guilt for not being able to cast their vote in this election and expressed sorrow as they are unable to balance academics and their civic duties.
Aspirants even used their situation to urge other eligible voters to cast their vote responsibly. "Every vote counts, even if ours doesn’t!!”, writes an aspirant, who goes by the username @ChaturRamaling7 on X.
A few aspirants strongly accused ICAI of denying them their fundamental right to vote, and the Election Commission as well as the Delhi High Court for enabling this.
A petition seeking the postponement of the exams was dismissed by the Delhi High Court on April 8, on the grounds that an exam that over four lakh aspirants attempt cannot be postponed because they find it difficult to appear for it.
These candidates filed a fresh petition at the Supreme Court of India, which is tentatively listed for April 29.
The 18th Lok Sabha elections began on April 19 and will continue till June 1. At the same time, the ICAI CA Inter and Final exams are scheduled to take place between May 2 to 17.
