-
NOTA is ballot option designed to allow voter to indicate disapproval of all of the candidates in a voting system.
-
It was introduced in 2013 after Supreme Court of India directed Election Commission to provide NOTA button in the electronic voting machines.
-
NOTA option was first used in 2013 assembly elections held in four States – Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
-
2014 Lok Sabha election was first general election to see its nationwide use of NOTA, where it polled 1.1% of the votes.
-
NOTA is not right to reject i.e. candidate with maximum votes wins the election irrespective of the number of NOTA votes polled.
-
Election Commission also has clarified that even though votes cast as NOTA are counted, they are considered as invalid votes so they will not change outcome of election process.