Karnataka Election: Over 2.6 Lakh Voters Opted for NOTA

In the recently-held polls in Karnataka, over 2.6 lakh voters who exercised their franchise in the May 10 Karnataka assembly polls used the 'none of the above' or NOTA option, the Election Commission data said.

The data available around 3.30 pm on Saturday claimed that 2,59,278 (0.7 per cent) out of the nearly 3.84 crore people who came out to vote on Wednesday exercised the NOTA option.

In 2013, the NOTA (None Of The Above) option was introduced on electronic voting machines (EVMs), complete with its own symbol - a black cross on a ballot paper.

The Election Commission had included the NOTA button as the last option on the voting panel in compliance with a Supreme Court order issued in September of that year. Prior to this, those who did not wish to vote for any candidate could exercise their right under Rule 49-O of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961.

However, this violated the voter's confidentiality. By adding a NOTA button on the EVMs, voters could maintain ballot secrecy. Despite this, the Supreme Court declined to instruct the Election Commission to hold new elections if a majority of voters opted for NOTA. The National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, created the NOTA symbol for the Election Commission.

Meanwhile, Congress has emerged victorious in the Karnataka Assembly polls, winning over 135 seats, the trends said. It has comfortably passed the magic number of 113.

Senior leader Siddaramaiah is the front runner for the Chief Minister post although DK Shivakumar and Parameshwara are also in the race.