*BJP, Cong, PDP, NC too face embarrassment
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Dec 28: Unbelievable it may sound but it a fact that NOTA (Non Of The Above) received more votes than several candidates of mainstream political parties and large number of independents during the just concluded Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
The trend of NOTA receiving preference over the party symbols and names of the candidates was seen across the State thereby indicating that large number of voters were not convinced with the choice of the political parties as well as the decision of the independents to join the fray.
In Jammu and Kashmir, the NOTA option was first made available to voters during the Parliament elections held early this year when 31550 electorates exercised this option. During Lok Sabha polls, Udhampur-Doda Parliamentary constituency witnessed maximum number of electorates exercising the NOTA option followed by Anantnag and Srinagar Parliamentary constituencies.
However, during the just concluded Assembly elections, there was hardly any Assembly constituency where voters did not prefer NOTA to the candidates and in these polls, more than 47,000 voters opted for this option thereby registering an increase of more than 15,000.
What to talk of large number of independents, who jumped the fray despite being aware of the fact that they would not be able to secure votes in thousands, even several candidates of the mainstream political parties failed to get more votes than the NOTA.
According to the analysis of the Election Commission of India data, Prof Bhim Singh’s Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) is on the top of such parties as its candidates in 41 Assembly segments secured fewer votes than the NOTA option. Notwithstanding the tall claims of the party leaders, the data clearly established that party has no acceptance in these Assembly constituencies.
Bahujan Samaj Party, the political outfit of former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Mayawati, which was once playing crucial role in the formation of Governments at Centre on the basis of its strength in Lok Sabha, failed to get more votes than NOTA in 30 Assembly segments of Jammu and Kashmir during recent polls. This indicates that party has failed to create vote bank in these constituencies till date.
According to the data, six candidates of Bharatiya Janata Party, which otherwise created history by winning 25 seats, secured less votes than the NOTA option in their respective Assembly segments.
These candidates are Abdul Rehman (Bandipora segment), Sheikh Abdul Rasheed (Ganderbal), Nazir Ahmad Raina (Kangan), Mohammad Maqbool War (Langate), Abdul Rashid Zargar (Lolab) and Muzhtaq Ahmad Malik (Noorabad).
Three candidates of Indian National Congress, which was in power in Jammu and Kashmir as well as Centre, have received less votes than NOTA option. These candidates are Mohammad Maqbool Malla (Chadoora segment), Peer Nazim-ud-Din (Kulgam) and Ghulam Rasool Malik (Kupwara). One candidate each of arch political rivals in Kashmir valley, National Conference and People’s Democratic Party failed to get more votes than NOTA option. They are Jatinder Singh, PDP candidate from Billawar and Salam Din, National Conference candidate from Inderwal Assembly constituency.
In 2009, the Election Commission of India asked the Supreme Court that to offer the voters a None Of The Above Option at the ballot as it would give voters the freedom of not selecting any undeserving candidates. The ground behind this approach of Election Commission was reluctance of the then Government to provide such an option.
‘The People’s Union for Civil Liberties’, a Non-Governmental Organization, filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) to favour NOTA. Finally, on September 27, 2013, the right to register a ‘None Of The Above’ vote in elections was applied by the Supreme Court.
Thereafter the Apex Court ordered the Election Commission that all Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) should be provided with a NOTA button so as to give voters an option. The Supreme Court even observed that NOTA option would lead to systemic change in polls and political parties would be forced to project clean candidates.
Earlier, in order to cast a negative ballot, a voter had to inform the Presiding Officer at the polling booth. However, a NOTA vote does not require the involvement of the Presiding Officer. Before the NOTA option came in existence, people casting negative votes were required to enter their names in a register and cast their vote on a separate paper ballot.
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