10 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT NOTA ForumMantra
NOTA gives a voter his “right to reject�. Last year the Supreme Court finalized that the voters have a right to reject every candidate who contests the elections, with an idea that it would go a long way cleansing the political system. Here's everything that you must need to know about NOTA.
NOTA Nota came with an idea that it could cleanse the political system of the country. The apex court told the Election Commission to have an option of 'None Of The Above' (NOTA) on the electronic voting machines or EVMs and ballot papers which were a major electoral reform.
How is a NOTA vote cast? The EVMs keeps the NOTA option at the end of the list of candidates. Prior to this, in order to cast a negative ballot, a voter had to tell the officer at the polling booth. A NOTA vote doesn't need the presiding officer to get involved ever.
When was NOTA first used in India; how did it performed? The option for NOTA was first used during the assembly elections, last year which was held in 5 states. Over 15 lakh people exercised the option in the state's polls. The figure was but lesser than 1.5% of the total voters. About 50,000 voters opted for NOTA in Delhi; 3.56 L in Chhattisgarh; 5.9 L in Madhya Pradesh and 5.67 L in Rajasthan.
It's heard that there was a similar provision before NOTA. What was it? Prior to NOTA, people casting negative votes had to enter their names in a register and cast their vote on a separate paper ballot. The presiding officer would next put a remark on the form and get it signed by the voter as an act to avoid fraud or misuse of votes.
What difference does NOTA make? A senior EC official said the NOTA option will never impact the results of the elections. The NOTA option has no electoral value. Though the maximum number of votes cast is for NOTA, the candidate who’s getting remaining votes is declared the winner. Why NOTA exist if there is 'no electoral value'? The SC said negative voting would at least encourage every people to turn up and express their opinion and reject the contestants.
Negative voting leads to a systemic change in polls and political parties and will be driving force to bring the clean candidates. If the right to vote is a must, then the right to reject a candidate is also a basic right of speech and expression under the Constitution, as stated by a bench headed by then Chief Justice of India, P Sathasivam.
How are 49(O) and NOTA different? The 49 (O) remain annulled after the SC cleared the NOTA provision. It gives a chance to find out the reason behind their negative opinion about a candidate through the voter's remarks. Through NOTA, it remains uncertain, the reason for the rejection. Also, it saves the identity of a voter and hence keeps the concept of secret balloting intact.
Which other countries permit NOTA? Colombia, Ukraine, Brazil, Bangladesh, Finland, Spain, Sweden, Chile, France, Belgium, and Greece permit their voters to cast NOTA votes. The US follows it in some cases. NOTA cleared, politicians want compulsory voting now! Leaders of the BJP, Narendra Modi, and LK Advani, welcomed the NOTA provision. But, they asked for another 'electoral reform'. Both leaders said that voting must be made mandatory.
Once Mr. Advani said and wrote in his blog that voters, without any legitimate justification, did not exercise the valuable right of a franchise that the Indian Constitution has put on them have, unwittingly hence, been casting a negative vote against all the contesting candidates without any intention on the same. He added to that, therefore, he holds, that a negative vote would be really meaningful if it is accompanied also by the introduction of compulsory voting.
Using 'NOTA', on a lighter note After his withdrawal from the contest for the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat as the AAP candidate Savita Bhatti, comedian Jaspal Bhatti's widow and actor, have floated the 'NOTA Party' with a was of currency notes being its election symbol. Bhatti said that the party is inspired by the NOTA option which has been given to the voters.
It seems every party is targeting against corruption, rather with these initiatives, where would the corrupt go? So they decided that their party will offer a platform to only the corrupts. They are highly skilled and people with vast networking. So their strengths must also be utilized, said Savita who took a dig at the launch.
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