6 lakh 43 lakh voters pressed NOTA button

Bhopal: As many as 6 lakh 43 thousand 144 voters used NOTA (None of the Above) button in recently concluded Vidhan Sabha elections. Of this, NOTA was used in 2633 postal ballots and 6 lakh 40 thousand 511 EVM votes. Maximum use of NOTA was made in Chhindwara district where it polled 39 thousand 235 votes in 7 Vidhan Sabha constituencies and minimum 3378 NOTA votes were cast in Bhind district.

Vidhan Sabha constituency-wise maximum 9412 NOTA votes were cast at Junnardeo in Chhindwara district followed by 9288 at Pansemal (Betul), 8232 Amarwara (Chhindwara), 7929 Bhainsdehi (Betul), 7430 Barwani (Barwani), 7213 Shahpura (Dindori), 6262 Manpur (Umaria), 5926 Ghoradongri (Betul), 5689 Jobat (Alirajpur) and 5465 NOTA votes were cast at Amla (Betul).
Similarly, minimum 245 NOTA votes were cast at Mehgaon (Bhind), 348 Khurai (Sagar), 435 Teonthar (Rewa), 467 Sirmaur (Rewa), 499 Ater (Bhind), 546 Semariya (Rewa), 548 Nagaud (Satna), 578 Lahar (Bhind), 625 Devtalab (Rewa) and 643 NOTA votes were cast at Chitrakoot (Satna).
There were 10 Vidhan Sabha constituencies where no NOTA votes were cast through postal ballots. These include Bargi (Jabalpur), Jabalpur Cantt. (Jabalpur), Bijawar (Chhatarpur), Rehgaon (Satna), Ashok Nagar (Ashok Nagar), Surkhi (Sagar), Malehra (Bhind), Gurh (Rewa) Prithvipur (Tikamgarh), Rampur Baghelan (Satna), Lahar (Bhind), Ater (Bhind) and Mehgaon (Bhind).
It is noteworthy that Election Commission of India introduced NOTA for the first time in the lections in 5 states. As per commission’s directives, NOTA votes were counted as invalid votes. The commission has directed to compute forfeiture of security deposit on the basis of total valid votes secured by candidates.