Symbolic Choices: The Underutilization of NOTA in Elections

The NOTA option was minimally used in Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly elections, with 0.75% and 1.32% of votes cast respectively. Introduced in 2013 to allow voters to reject all candidates, NOTA currently lacks the ability to influence election outcomes, and holds symbolic significance only.

The NOTA option found few takers in the recent assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, with only 0.75% and 1.32% of the electorate, respectively, choosing it. Votes for these elections were tallied on Saturday, revealing the limited impact of this option.

According to the Election Commission, Maharashtra's voter turnout was 65.02% in its single-phase election held on November 20, while Jharkhand recorded a turnout of 66.65% in the first phase and 68.45% in the second phase. Previous elections have seen a similarly low use of NOTA in states like Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana.

The Supreme Court, in a 2013 ruling, directed the introduction of the NOTA option on EVMs, but it currently does not affect election outcomes. Former chief election commissioner OP Rawat recently highlighted NOTA's symbolic significance, emphasizing that substantial usage by over 50% of voters would be necessary to pressure legal changes that would make it impactful.

(With inputs from agencies.)