UNGA: India Votes Against Russia's Demand To Secret Ballot On Ukraine's Draft Resolution, Opts For Recorded Votes

Only 13 nations voted in favour of Russia's call for a secret ballot while 39 abstained. Russia and China were among the countries that did not vote.

In the UN General Assembly, India voted to reject Russia's demand for a secret ballot on Ukraine.

Source : AFP

New Delhi: India rejected Russia's demand for a secret ballot in the UN General Assembly on a draft resolution that seeks to condemn Moscow's illegal annexation of four regions of Ukraine, and instead opted for a public vote supported by 100 other nations. External affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had expressed that the escalation of hostilities was in no one's interest and noted that India stood ready to support all such efforts aimed at de-escalation of the situation.

"India is deeply concerned at the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine, including the targeting of infrastructure and deaths of civilians," he said, urging the immediate cessation of hostilities. India has not yet condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and maintained that the crisis must be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue.

India had restrained on votes on the Ukraine conflict in the UN General Assembly and the Security Council.

What does voting mean?

The General Assembly rejected reconsidering the motion after 104 nations, including India, voted against such a reconsideration, according to the news agency PTI.

Russia had sought that the resolution is voted upon by secret ballot. Moscow's demand for a secret ballot was rejected after 107 UN member states, including India, voted in favour of a recorded vote.

Only 13 nations voted in favour of Russia's call for a secret ballot while 39 abstained. Russia and China were among the countries that did not vote. After the motion to hold a recorded vote was adopted, Russia appealed against the ruling of the president of the general assembly.

A recorded vote on Russia's appeal was held and India was among the 100 nations who voted against the challenge made by Moscow. Russia then sought reconsideration of the decision to adopt the motion submitted by Albania for a recorded vote.

The development came amid Russia’s strikes against multiple Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv where at least 10 people were killed and around 60 others wounded across Ukraine.

What’s Russia’s stance?

Accusing the UN membership for witnessing an outrageous fraud, Russia's Permanent Representative Vassily Nebenzia said the president of the general assembly, unfortunately, played a key role. "We were not given the floor to make a point of order (the indicator light at our seat is still on), our statement was distorted, and now UN member states are being robbed of their right to express their opinion freely,” said Nebenzia, according to the news agency PTI.

“This is an unprecedented manipulation undermining the authority of the general assembly and the United Nations as a whole. Of course, in such circumstances we opted to not take part in the vote,” he added.