This vote will solve the Goa electorate’s dilemma. BJP candidate? Too communal, thuggish and with Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram mentality.
Congress candidate? Too corrupt and criminal doing nothing for the constituency. Independent? Will join one of the two parties for a few crores or a ministership. Solution; NOTA (None of the above), forcing parties to nominate men who will attract the X factor. From the TOI: Why NOTA? The option of NOTA (short for the None of the Above) was introduced in the 2013 assembly elections for the first time following a Supreme Court order. Before NOTA, if a voter decided not to vote for any candidate, she had to inform the presiding officer of her decision. The SC ruled that this went against the freedom of expression and the secrecy of voting. The idea behind NOTA: "When political parties will realise that a large number of people are expressing their disapproval with the candidates being put up by them, gradually there will be a systemic change and parties will be forced to field candidates who are known for their integrity," the court had said. The 'no' votes: NOTA is a negative vote and a tool of political dissent to express disillusionment with the ruling party. It also tells the opposition that for the NOTA voter there is no worthwhile alternative candidate or party to turn to. The 'no vote' is also about participating in the electoral process instead of just sitting out of it. That your voting helps cut down bogus voting is also a bonus. Do no votes matter? Over 60 lakh NOTA votes were polled in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, accounting for about 1.1% of the total (55 crore) votes cast. That translates into 3.5% of the total votes polled by the BJP or 5.6% of the votes polled by the Congress. NOTA votes were more than the winning margin in 261 assembly constituencies that went to polls since 2013, and in 24 constituencies in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. In the 2017 Gujarat assembly elections, NOTA votes were more than the winning margin in 21 constituencies. It cost the ruling BJP dearly as the party lost 12 of these seats by a margin less than NOTA votes, which was seen as a mild punishment (for BJP) and a snub (for Congress) by the voters. When they say no to NOTA: Opposing the NOTA vote, the RSS chief last week said: "Being quiet does not work. You have to say yes or no". The fact is, there are over a dozen countries (like France, Brazil, Bangladesh) that have recognised neutral, protest or negative voting. Even members of parliament have a form of NOTA vote. While voting in the House a member can press the 'abstain' button to avoid expressing his opinion by casting a vote in favour or against the motion. To make NOTA bite: While NOTA votes are registered, they are treated as invalid votes and do not have any impact on deciding a winner. "NOTA can be more powerful if the law is amended," says former chief election commissioner T S Krishnamurthy. "If NOTA votes are more than the votes polled for any candidate, there should be a second round of elections with fresh candidates." That will also put pressure on political parties to field good candidates. Roland. Toronto.
