2019 Lok Sabha Elections: What Is NOTA?
The Election Commission introduces new NOTA in the Electronic Voting Machines as per the order from Supreme Court that the voters have a right to it.
NOTA stands for ‘None of the Above’. In September 2013, the Supreme Court (SC) ruled that the voters' have a right to NOTA in elections. SC directed the Election Commission (EC) to provide an option of NOTA on the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
The EC also introduced a NOTA symbol. The NOTA button is provided on all EVMs in the last panel and it enables voters to reject all the candidates if they are not happy or satisfied with any of them.
The NOTA option is only a way to give negative feedback and will not have an impact on the election results. Any contesting candidate who gets the most number of votes will be named the winner even if a majority of voters, vote for NOTA.
However, according to SC, NOTA encourages people to express their opinion and reject candidates.
