STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The 'Association for Democratic Reforms' (ADR) and 'Assam Election Watch' (AEW) recently analyzed the possibility of voters using the NOTA option and also the 'Margin of Victory' for the all 126 constituencies in the Assembly elections in the State in 2016. The NOTA button was introduced by the ECI (Election Commission of India) in 2013 to provide an option for the voters to reject all the candidates in their respective constituencies. Of the 1,69,19,364 votes polled in the 2016 Assembly election in the State, as many as 1,89,085 voters chose the NOTA option. In nine constituencies, the NOTA vote was greater than the 'Margin of Victory'.
The top 10 constituencies with the highest votes polled for NOTA in 2016 were Doomdooma, Sarupathar, Sonari, Lahowal, Chabua, Baithalangso, Sidli, Diphu, Duliajan and Tamulpur. In 2016, Dispur constituency recorded 2,600 votes in favour of NOTA option followed by 2,285 in West Guwahati, 1,288 in East Guwahati and 1,074 in Jalukbari.