In compliance with the Supreme Court orders, the 'None of the Above' (NOTA) option might be used in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections scheduled in November this year.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has not confirmed it, but
indicated that it will issue detailed instructions to ensure compliance with the order of the court as expeditiously as possible.
Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) will have a separate button for voters not wishing to vote for any of the candidates in fray. Pressing this button, they will be able to use option of no-voting with secrecy. Name of the button will be 'None of the Above' (NOTA). It is noteworthy that the Supreme Court has directed the Poll panel to make necessary provisions in the ballot papers/EVMs so that the voters who come to the polling booth and decide not to vote while maintaining their right of secrecy.
In accordance with the order of the Supreme Court, 'None of the Above' shall be printed in a separate panel on the ballot paper below the name of the last contesting candidate. This ballot paper shall be affixed on the Ballot Unit of the EVM. If the voter presses the button next to 'None of the Above', his desire not to vote for any of the candidates in the fray will get recorded in the EVM with secrecy.
The commission will also make appropriate changes in Part-2 of Form 17C used during counting and the result sheet in Form 20 to separately compile the number of persons who use option not to vote for any of the candidates in the fray.