1 What is NOTA
“NOTA” or ”none of the above” is a ballot option provided in the elections to Indian voters. Through NOTA, a citizen has the right to not vote for any candidate contesting the elections.
2 How does a person cast a NOTA vote?
The NOTA option in the EVM is given at the bottom of the candidates’ list. Earlier, in order to cast a negative ballot, a voter had to inform the presiding officer at the polling booth. Now the voter has to just press the NOTA option on the EVM.
3 What difference does NOTA make?
A senior EC official said the NOTA option would not impact the results of the elections. “The NOTA option on EVMs has no electoral value. Even if the maximum number of votes cast is for NOTA, the candidate getting the most of the remaining votes would be declared winner,”- source HT
4 Why have NOTA if there’s ‘no electoral value’?
The SC said negative voting would even encourage people who are not satisfied with any of the candidates to turn up to express their opinion and reject all contestants.
“Negative voting will lead to a systemic change in polls and political parties will be forced to project clean candidates. If the right to vote is a statutory right, then the right to reject a candidate is a fundamental right of speech and expression under the Constitution,” said a bench headed by then Chief Justice of India, P Sathasivam.
5 Which other countries allow NOTA?
The NOTA option was first used in the 2013 assembly elections held in four states — Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh and the Union Territory, Delhi. More than 15 lakh people exercised the option in the state polls.