An Indian election official examines an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM). Image for representational purposes.
Credit: PTI File Photo
The Delhi Assembly elections are around the corner, with polling scheduled for February 5 and counting for February 8.
As campaigns continue and electors deliberate on who to vote for, there could be some who are considering going for the 'None of the above' (NOTA) option.
Here, we explain what NOTA is.
What is NOTA?
While casting your ballot on an electronic voting machine (EVM), NOTA is one of the options that is available for. It is meant for voters who wish to exercise their franchise but do not wish to vote for any of the contesting candidates.
When was NOTA first introduced?
NOTA was not initially an option in Indian elections and was only introduced as recently as 2013.
NOTA became an option for voters after the Supreme Court directed the Election Commission to include it while giving its verdict in the case of People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) vs the Union of India.
Subsequently, NOTA was used for the first time in the same year itself, for elections held in four states—Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh—and the Union Territory of Delhi.
Does NOTA have any value?
While NOTA has been said to be a marker of the maturity of Indian democracy, the option, as it stands, has no electoral value.
Under the current system, even if a majority of votes are cast as NOTA, the option will not have any electoral value: the candidate with the most number of valid votes will still win, even if there is just one single valid vote.