NOTA
None Of The Above, abbreviated as NOTA, has been provided as an option to the voters of India in most elections since 2013.
By expressing a preference for none of the above, a citizen can choose not to vote for any candidates who are contesting the elections
In the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) vs. Union of India judgement of 2013, the Supreme Court of India directed the Election Commission of India to include NOTA in elections to the Lok Sabha and respective state legislative assemblies.
When it was introduced?
The NOTA option was first used in the 2013 legislative assembly elections held in four states—Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh, and the union territory of Delhi.
Trend of NOTA in election
While the share of voters who pressed the NOTA button has continued to decline in the Lok Sabha elections, the option is still relevant in some seats.
In 2014 and 2019, a significant share of voters in some select seats, particularly those impacted by Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), and many constituencies in Bihar exercised this option.
This trend continued in 2024 as well.
The Bastar constituency in Chhattisgarh, and Koraput and Nabarangpur, which are both in Odisha, featured in in which the NOTA vote share crossed the 3% mark.
Aruku in Andhra Pradesh featured in 2019 and 2024. The common thread linking these seats is that they are all impacted by LWE.
In 2019, the NOTA vote share was more than 3% in 11 seats in Bihar, while in 2024, this was the case in four seats.
While some of this can be explained as an impact of LWE, many seats in the State which are not affected by extremism also feature on the list.
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