No NOTA impact in Telangana

Dubbudu Rakesh Reddy, RTI Activist (rakesh.dubbudu@gmail.com)

The Supreme court in its judgment in WP (C) No 161 OF 2004 dated 27
th
September 2013
directed the Election Commission to provide a NOTA(None Of The Above) option on the EVM
and ballot papers so that the electors who do not want to vote for any of the candidates can
exercise their option in secrecy. Before this, according to Rule 49-O Conduct of Election Rules,
1961, a voter who decides not to vote, has to inform the presiding officer. A remark to this effect
shall be made against the said entry in Form 17-A by the Presiding Officer and the signature or
thumb impression of the elector shall be obtained against such remark. In such a case, the
secrecy of the vote is not maintained. The Supreme court ruled that Rule 49-O is ultravires of
Article 19(1)(a) of the constitution
So this is the first general election after the Supreme Court judgment where NOTA has been
introduced as the last entry in the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM). The ballot paper on the
EVM will contain NOTA as the last entry. Hence, this is also the first time where number of
NOTA votes has been counted at a national level. More than 60 lakh voters at a national level
have opted for NOTA in the 2014 general elections for the Lok Sabha. This is about 1.1% of the
total number of votes polled. The percentage of NOTA votes in Telangana is lesser than the
national average.
Elections to Telangana Assembly
Of the 10 districts of Telangana, Rangareddy had the highest number of NOTA votes at 20866
while the lowest number of NOTA votes was polled in Nalgonda at 10124. The highest
percentage of NOTA votes was polled in Adilabad district (1.204%) while the lowest percentage
of NOTA votes was polled in Nalgonda (0.496%). Except Adilabad & Nizamabad, the
percentage of NOTA votes was less than 1%. A total of 152176 voters opted for NOTA across
Telangana which is 0.789% of the total votes polled. It is less than the national average of 1.1%.
District
Number of
NOTA Votes
Total Number of
votes polled
Percentage of
NOTA votes
Adilabad 17162 1425274 1.204%
Nizamabad 13527 1319724 1.025%
Karimnagar 16276 2032393 0.801%
Medak 13450 1683693 0.799%
Rangareddy 20866 2968161 0.703%
Hyderabad 15041 2085020 0.721%
Mahbubnagar 13678 2115485 0.647%
Nalgonda 10124 2039076 0.496%
Warangal 19661 2001694 0.982%
Khammam 12391 1625585 0.762%
Total 152176 19296105 0.789%

In 92 of the 119 assembly constituencies of Telangana, the percentage of votes polled for NOTA
was less than 1% of the total votes polled. While in 26 constituencies, the percentage of NOTA
votes was between 1% and 2%. The only constituency which polled more than 2% votes for
NOTA was Warangal East in Warangal district. There was no visible difference in the usage of
NOTA between the rural and urban constituencies.










In 4 of the 119 assembly constituencies, NOTA stood in the 4
th
place while it stood in the 5
th

place in 16 constituencies. NOTA was in the 6
th
place in 31 constituencies while it was below the
6
th
place in the remaining 68 constituencies.
The most interesting part is that in 5 of the 119 constituencies, the number of votes for NOTA
was more than the victory margin of the winner. Potentially, NOTA votes going to others would
have changed the result. The five constituencies are Aswaraopet and Bhadrachalam in
Khammam, Kalwakurthy in Mahbubnagar, Chevella in Rangareddy & Zahirabad in Medak.
Elections to Loksabha in Telangana
Of the 17 Loksabha constituencies in Telangana, the highest number of NOTA were polled in
Adilabad at 17084 while the lowest number of NOTA votes was polled in Khammam at 4991.
The highest percentage of NOTA votes was polled in Adilabad constituency (1.661%) while the
lowest percentage of NOTA votes was polled in Khamamm Constituency (0.423%). Except
Adilabad, Zahirabad, Nagarkurnool & Warangal constituencies, the percentage of NOTA votes
was less than 1% in rest of the constituencies. A total of 154992 voters opted for NOTA across
Number of Constituencies where Percentage
of NOTA votes is less than 1%
92
Number of Constituencies where Percentage
of NOTA votes is between 1% to 2%
26
Number of Constituencies where Percentage
of NOTA votes is more than 2%
1
Number of Constituencies where number of
votes for NOTA is in the 4th place
4
Number of Constituencies where number of
votes for NOTA is in the 5th place
16
Number of Constituencies where number of
votes for NOTA is in the 6th place
31
Number of Constituencies where number of
votes for NOTA is below the 6th place
68
Telangana which is 0.804% of the total votes polled. It is less than the national average of 1.1%.
The interesting part is that is more than the number of NOTA votes polled in the assembly.
Name of the Constituency Number of NOTA Votes
Total
Number of
votes polled
Percentage
of NOTA
votes
Adilabad 17084 1028755 1.661%
Peddapalle 5361 1016823 0.527%
Karimanagar 5734 1119450 0.512%
Nizamabad 7266 1026658 0.708%
Zahirabad 11190 1083616 1.033%
Medak 10696 1180315 0.906%
Malkajgiri 8692 1612026 0.539%
Secunderabad 6572 997197 0.659%
Hyderabad 5013 966408 0.519%
Chevella 10018 1305844 0.767%
Mahbubnagar 9037 1005763 0.899%
Nagarkurnool 12388 1096580 1.130%
Nalgonda 9305 1180094 0.788%
Bhongir 10907 1200825 0.908%
Warangal 14034 1160597 1.209%
Mahbubabad 6704 1117665 0.600%
Khammam 4991 1178858 0.423%
Total 154992 19277474 0.804%

In 13 of the 17 Loksabha constituencies of Telangana, the percentage of votes polled for NOTA
was less than 1% of the total votes polled. In the remaining 4 constituencies, the percentage of
votes polled for NOTA was between 1% and 2%. There was no drastic difference in the usage of
NOTA between the rural and urban constituencies. In fact, lesser percentage of people used
NOTA in urban areas than in rural areas.
Number of Constituencies where Percentage of
NOTA votes is less than 1%
13
Number of Constituencies where Percentage of
NOTA votes is between 1% to 2%
4

Number of Constituencies where number of
votes for NOTA is in the 4th place
1
Number of Constituencies where number of
votes for NOTA is in the 6th place
4
Number of Constituencies where number of
votes for NOTA is below the 6th place
12

In 4 of the 17 Loksabha constituencies, NOTA stood in the 6
th
place while it stood in the 4
th

place in only one constituency. NOTA was below the 6
th
place in the remaining 12
constituencies.
The most interesting part is that in Mahbubnagar Loksabha constituency, the number of votes
for NOTA was more than the victory margin of the winner. Potentially, NOTA votes going to
others would have changed the result.
What does this mean?
As per the provisions of clause (a) of Rule 64 of Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, the candidate
who has polled the largest number of valid votes is to be declared elected by the Returning
Officer. Therefore, even if the number of votes opting for NOTA option is more than the number
of votes polled by any of the candidates, the candidate who secures the largest number of votes
has to be declared elected. So technically speaking, the number of votes for NOTA will not have
any impact on the final result. But it can be used as a tool for expression of no-confidence in the
contesting candidates. In the long run, it can be used in advocacy for more electoral reforms.
More publicity for the NOTA option and greater awareness in citizens might turn tables in
future. But as far as 2014 elections are concerned, the voter seems to have given a decisive
mandate for a stable government and NOTA did not have any significant impact in Telangana.