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NOTA, or None of the Above, has made its presence felt in the 2024 general elections, particularly in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Akshay Kanti Bam, a Congress candidate, switched to the BJP just a day before the elections, prompting the Congress to urge voters to vote for NOTA in retaliation.
The voters responded, and NOTA is now ahead by a significant margin of 1,11,691 votes in the Indore Lok Sabha constituency, making it the second-highest performer after the BJP's Shankar Lalvani. This development highlights the growing dissatisfaction among voters with traditional political parties and their candidates.
Indore has been a BJP stronghold since 1989, with former Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan holding the seat for eight consecutive terms. Mahajan expressed her displeasure with Bam's move, stating that it should not have happened and that Indore is a BJP stronghold under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
This incident brings to light another case from last month in Surat, Gujarat, where BJP candidate Mukesh Dalal was declared elected even before the first vote was cast. This sparked a controversy, with the Congress alleging that the ruling BJP used undue influence to pressure candidates into withdrawing their nominations against the ruling party candidate.
In response, the Chief Election Commissioner, Rajiv Kumar, clarified that the poll body can intervene if a candidate is pressured into withdrawing their nomination, but not when it is consensual.NOTA has been an option for voters in most elections since 2013, allowing them to express their disapproval of all contesting candidates by choosing None of the Above.
The Supreme Court directed the Election Commission to include NOTA in elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies in its 2013 judgement in the PUCL vs. Union of India case. The option was first used in the 2013 legislative assembly elections held in Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and the Union Territory of Delhi.
Source: NOTA second in Indore where Congress candidate switched to BJP at last minute