Explained: None Of The Above (NOTA) Option In EVMs (Voting Machines)

Ahead of the Assembly polls in five states, Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel has suggested scrapping the NOTA (None of the Above) option in the EVMs, saying it polled more votes than the margin of victory in certain cases.  

The NOTA option was introduced in 2013 following the Supreme Court's instructions on a PIL dating back to 2004. Since then, NOTA has served as an option for the voter to express dissatisfaction with the available candidates and register their protest.

While NOTA is a valid choice in an election, in most cases it hasn't had the power to affect the outcome of any election. The candidate who receives the most votes is declared the winner, , regardless of the number of NOTA votes. 

NOTA is distinguished by its unique symbol – a ballot paper marked with a black cross.

What critics say

Critics argue that NOTA has failed to bring about significant systemic changes in the electoral process, primarily due to two inherent features.

First, NOTA votes are categorised as "invalid" and do not directly contribute to the election results, rendering them symbolic rather than impactful.

Second, there is no provision for re-polling in a constituency even if NOTA gets the most votes. This limitation raises concerns that there is no mechanism in place to address voter dissatisfaction when none of the candidates meets the approval of the electorate.  

What Bhupesh Baghel said

Bhupesh Baghel, calling for the scraping of NOTA, said that the Election Commission should take cognisance of the fact that in certain cases the option "has polled more votes than the margin of victory and loss (between two candidates)." He also pointed out that some voters might mistakenly press the NOTA button, believing it to be either the top or bottom option. In light of these concerns, he advocated for discontinuing the NOTA option in elections.

The 2014 Lok Sabha elections were the first national elections to include the NOTA option.

Interestingly, the percentage of votes for NOTA during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections saw a marginal rise, with about 1.08% of people voting for it. In 2014, the NOTA option had polled 1.08% of votes.