BANGALORE: The None of The Above (NOTA) option introduced in the just-concluded Lok Sabha election on electoral voting machines (EVM), has found favour with many voters. So much so that in some constituencies, the NOTA votes were more than the winning margins of the candidates.
Raichur Congress candidate B V Nayak won by just 899 votes against Shivanagouda Nayak of BJP. The NOTA votes here were 13,176. Similarly, in Chikkodi constituency, Prakash Babanna Hukkeri of Congress won by 3,003 votes against Katti Ramesh Vishwanath of BJP. Here, the NOTA votes were 10,289.
Of the total 2,57,842 votes cast in Uttara Kannada constituency, a whopping 16,277 opted for NOTA. This is followed by Raichur (13,176), Koppal (12,947), Dharwad (12,937) and Chamarajnagar (12,697). Interestingly, these voters are from most backward districts. The lowest number of NOTA votes was in Bidar with 2,786.
Close to 2.6 lakh voters across the state chose the ‘None of the Above’ (NOTA) option in the 16th Lok Sabha elections. A total of 3,10,64,739 (3.10 crore) people cast their votes taking the polling percentage to 67.28 per cent. Of the total, 2,57,842 (2.57 lakh) people, or less than one per cent, opted for NOTA.
Speaking to Express, political analyst Ashwin said the over 2.5 lakh NOTA voters is a huge number. “This time, many candidates have lost the election by a few thousand votes. As people this year opted for NOTA in huge numbers, they played an important role in the results of candidates who lost by a thin margin,” he said.
Ashwin felt that those who opted for NOTA have the mindset that no party or candidate will work for them or their constituency. “That is the reason they decided to go to the polling booth just to press the NOTA button,” he said. “Previously, people had to fill forms. This is a tedious process. Clicking a button is an easier option,” he said.
Rejecting the choices
Bagalkot: 10,764
B’lore North: 11,996
Bellary: 11,320
Bijapur: 8,287
Ch’nagar: 12,697
Chitradurga: 8,895
D-K : 7,109
Davangere: 4,536
Dharwad: 12,937
Gulbarga: 9,888
Hassan: 7,334
Mysore: 8,924
Tumkur: 12,934
Udupi C’magalur: 7,828
U-Kannada: 16,277
Shimoga: 7,077
Belgaum: 11,500
C’ballapur: 7,682
Chikkodi: 10,289
Kolar: 5,098
B’lore Central: 8,449
B’lore South: 7,414
B’lore Rural: 9,871
Koppal: 12,947
Mandya: 6,021
Raichur: 13,176
Bidar: 1,817
Haveri: 3,806
TOTAL: 2,57,842