According to the Election Commission, after a voter goes to the polling counter and the EVM is on, if he refuses to vote on some grounds, then his refusal will be registered in a book by the presiding officer. The details of the voter will be entered in the register and the voter will have to attest the same with his signature or thumb impression.
A voter can refuse to vote for any of the candidates in his constituency but he cannot invalidate a vote, the EC said.
According to the EC website, the Commission in its proposed electoral reforms has recommended that the law should be amended to specifically provide for negative / neutral voting.
The Commission has said that for this purpose Rules 22 and 49B of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961 may be suitably amended adding a column ‘none of the above’, to enable a voter to reject all the candidates, if he/she chooses so.
