Bhopal: ‘Rising Dissent Leads To Increased NOTA Use’

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): In the face of enticing promises and colourful assurances from political parties and candidates, a growing number of voters have been expressing their dissatisfaction by pressing the None of the Above (NOTA) button on electronic voting machines (EVMs).

This trend has gained significant attention in recent elections. In the 2018 MP assembly elections, the difference between the vote share of the BJP and Congress was a mere 0.1%. Surprisingly, NOTA secured a significant vote share of 1.4%. A total of 5,42,295 voters chose NOTA, accounting for 1.4% of the total votes cast.

In eight seats, the BJP lost by a margin smaller than the number of NOTA votes. In 28 seats, where by-polls were conducted in the same year, 45,297 people chose the NOTA option. The trend continued in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, with more than three lakh voters choosing NOTA.

When Free Press asked voters why they opted for NOTA, some expressed that while their vote might not directly count towards electing a representative, it still serves as a means to voice their frustration.

Prince Saxena, a second-time voter, said, “By pressing the NOTA button, we can show our anger. Candidates can understand that we do not want them.”

On the other hand, some voters believed that NOTA was a waste of a vote. Another voter, Payal Trivedi, said, “It is better not to cast a vote rather than opting for NOTA, as it is simply a waste of our vote and time.”

When politicians were asked about the emerging trend of NOTA and what political parties can do to curb them, Bhupendra Gupta, state vice-president of Congress, said people use NOTA to express their anger. However, he also emphasised that voters should be aware that choosing NOTA does not necessarily lead to the desired change, as the candidate they least prefer can still emerge as the representative.

BJP spokesperson Rajpal Singh Sisodiya said sometimes voters take such decisions out of frustration. “We will make voters aware of our party’s policies and will urge them to cast their vote wisely as every vote is important,” he added.