In the midst of the electoral buzz in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore, on Tuesday as Lok Sabha polls 2024 results were declared, NOTA or "None of the Above," emerged as a significant contender. It surpassed previous records set in Gopalganj, Bihar in 2019.

Nearly, 2 lakh voters had opted for this unconventional choice. 

In 2013, the Election Commission of India had introduced NOTA option on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) following a Supreme Court decision aiming to offer electorates a distinct avenue to express dissatisfaction with the available political choices.

In Indore, which enjoys the tag of country’s ‘cleanest city’ , BJP's Shankar Lalwani secured a victory in the Indore Lok Sabha seat with 12,26,751 votes, followed by NOTA, which received 2,18,674 votes.

The constituency had registered at least 61.75% voting. However, at least 1.7 lakh voters pressed the NOTA button.

According to political experts, NOTA played a key role in the constituency after the Congress party urged voters to use NOTA as a means to convey their disapproval after its candidate Akshay Kanti Bam withdrew his nomination and subsequently joined the BJP just just before the polling days.

Over the years, NOTA has been emerging as a potent tool for voters to assert their dissatisfaction and demand better governance.

 In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu recorded 46,559 votes for NOTA, which was then around 5 per cent of the total votes polled in the constituency.

After its candidate switched to the other side, the Congress has been out of the poll race in Indore for the first time in this Lok Sabha seat's 72-year history.

Voting in Indore took place on May 13, with 61.75 per cent of the 25.27 lakh electors exercising their franchise, as per the Election Commission’s data.