It was learnt that a large number of voters in the plains and in hills had opted for the NOTA option in the recently concluded West Bengal assembly election. Only in the three assembly seats in Darjeeling hills, the NOTA option has bagged a total of 16607 votes (Kurseong- 7426, Darjeeling- 5817 and Kalimpong 3364).

Meanwhile, like in other places, in Darjeeling hills too, different gossips and opinions have been made by the people regarding the NOTA option as well as regarding the voters who opted and cast their votes in favor of NOTA and not for any single party.

A local resident said that the NOTA has got good votes in the hills and several definition on the subject has come out. Some are saying to press NOTA option is a cancelled vote and hence useless. Some are of the opinion that to go for the NOTA option is to make some party a winner. He added that people should not take NOTA for granted but to go for NOTA is a conscious vote.

He believes that to cast one’s vote in NOTA does not only mean that he does not like any candidates instead through applying this vote people actually want to express he doesn’t like any party and the political system.

He said he cast his vote in NOTA because he does not like the political system.  He further added that he believes that  there should be one more option besides NOTA,  with the symbol of Ashoka Chakra for those people or voters, who want governor’s or president’s rule in the particular area leaving politics aside. As there are several people who wants governor or president rule, he revealed.

Notably, it was learnt that the Election Commission of India had introduced NOTA option on ballot papers displayed on EVMs and all other ballot papers with effect from 11 October 2013 pursuant to Supreme Court’s Order dated 27 September 2013. Later, on 18 September, the ECI also introduced a specific symbol like other election symbols for NOTA option to facilitate the voters in exercising their NOTA option. Accordingly, since then, such symbol of NOTA option has appeared in the last panel on all EVMs and other ballot papers at all elections. The main objective of the NOTA option is to enable electors who do not wish to vote for any of the candidates to exercise their right not to vote for any candidate without violation of the secrecy of their decision.