NEW DELHI: None of the Above (NOTA) will be more powerful in the upcoming civic polls in Delhi as it will be considered as the “fictional electoral candidate” while declaring the election result. Re-election will be held in municipal wards, where NOTA will receive the highest votes as compared to other candidates.
The issue of NOTA was discussed in the meeting held on January 12, 2022, in the State Election Commission, Delhi with the national and State political parties and a general consensus emerged that NOTA should be treated as a ‘Fictional Electoral Candidate’, said the commission in its order.
In a situation where the NOTA received the highest vote, then the concerned returning officer will not declare the results and immediately send the report to the State Election Commission. Thereafter the State Election Commission will declare a fresh election on the said seats after scrutinising the result. The fresh election will start from the nomination stage, said a senior officer of the Commission.
In case, the NOTA and a contesting candidate will get the same number of votes, then the contesting candidate will be declared as the winning candidate. In the 2020 assembly elections, 43,108 votes were cast for the NOTA.
Fresh elections if NOTA wins
In a situation where the NOTA received the highest vote, the returning officer will send the report to the State Election Commission immediately. It will then declare a fresh election on the said seats.