JOIN USA group of activists from the City are campaigning online to give voters the ‘None of the above’ (NOTA) option in the upcoming Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike elections.
Speaking to Deccan Herald, Stephan Santosh Raj, one of the activists said they would be filing a PIL on Monday seeking the NOTA option to be included. “We wrote to the secretary, Election Commission of India seeking clarification on this. In a reply to our query, he said in light of the recent Supreme Court direction, the Commission will make the NOTA option available in all the elections conducted by it,” Raj said.
Speaking about taking the issue to court, the activist clarified that their objective was not to disturb the elections but get citizens their fundamental rights. “Most people might be under the conception that NOTA is as good as not voting. However, if people vote, their will at least be doing its duty. If the number of NOTAs is high, it reflects on the candidates we have,” he said.
He, along with a group of software professionals in the City are also contemplating starting a portal to create awareness on the issue.