Lok Sabha Election 2024 Results: Above 1.4 lakh NOTA Votes Counted till Noon in Indore

GUWAHATI: During the counting of votes for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, NOTA (Voice of the Above), a mechanism by which voters can express their dissatisfaction with all candidates, garnered nearly two lakh votes in Indore, according to the Election Commission (EC).

According to Election Commission of India (ECI) data, 1,44,842 NOTA votes were counted till 12 noon on Tuesday

NOTA allows voters to officially register to “vote” for all candidates. It was introduced in September 2013 following the Supreme Court ruling.

In Indore, where 14 candidates were in the fray, the main battle was between sitting BJP MP Shankar Lalwani and Nota, PTI reported, citing observers.

Elections were held in Indore on May 13, with a voter turnout of 61.75 percent out of 25.27 lakh voters.

Meanwhile, the BJP candidate from Surat Lok Sabha constituency was elected unopposed and the last time a Congress candidate withdrew his name and joined the BJP in Indore, the NOTA process is being closely watched.

NOTA – short for ‘None of The Above’ – is the most talked about option available to voters at election time. Supporters of the NOTA idea say it at least helps them exercise their right to vote when they don’t want to vote for a candidate, while the opponents call it "wasted votes".

After the Election Commission of India introduced NOTA or 'None of The Above' option on ballot electronic voting machines (EVMs) in 2013, voters have been allowed NOTA to vote for any candidate contesting any election in an undesirable state in the country.

NOTA was introduced in September 2013 after a Supreme Court order that year directed the Election Commission to "provide what is needed".

Earlier in 2019, Indore saw a voter turnout of 69.31 percent, with 5,045 voters opting for NOTA.

In an unprecedented move, the Congress launched a campaign to encourage voters to vote for NOTA after its candidate Akshay Kantibam withdrew his name from the Lok Sabha polls at the last minute on April 29.

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