None Of The Above (NOTA) option that will be exercised for the first time in the country will be printed in pink colour in EVMs/ ballot papers in the forthcoming assembly polls in five states, while it will be in white in the next Parliamentary election. A total of 11 crore voters in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Mizoram will use the option of None of the Above for the first time ever. Voters will opt not to vote for any candidate in the fray for a particular seat without their right to maintaining secrecy over their decision being violated. Releasing the design of None Of The Above (NOTA) option, its depiction as approved by the Election Commission is in a rectangular shape with rounded corners and black background where NOTA is written in capital letters in English. The words None of the Above and NOTA will be printed in pink colour in the forthcoming assembly polls. However, in the Parliamentary polls, NOTA will be printed in white colour as the ballot paper for such polls is also printed in white colour. The EC has directed that while None of the Above words will be printed in various local languages in different areas and constituencies as the language of the ballot paper, the symbol will not be printed in any other language except as NOTA to maintain common depiction. After finalising the symbol, the EC notified the same and sent it to Chief Electoral Officers of all states, including the five poll-bound states, for them to take further action on the matter. The CEOs have been asked to get the ballot papers published by including the NOTA option and also print it on the panel of contesting candidates in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Consequent to the Supreme Court ruling allowing voters to exercise the NOTA option, EC will provide the same for voters in the upcoming Assembly polls and in all future polls, including the general elections scheduled next year. Below the name of the last candidate on the EVM, EC will now provide a button for NOTA option for electors who do not wish to vote for any of the candidates in the fray in their constituency. The EC has already clarified that the candidate securing the highest number of votes would be declared elected even if the number of electors going for the NOTA option surpassed the votes polled by the electoral contestants.
Posted on: Fri, 01 Nov 2013 15:30:39 +0000
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