Bengal gets maximum NOTA votes among four states

In this year’s Assembly elections, West Bengal has seen 1.5 per cent of the voters cast their votes in favour of NOTA or none of the above which is the highest number of NOTA votes among the five states where elections were conducted.

According to the Election Commission, around 8,31,845 voters have cast their votes in NOTA in the state.  If a comparative study can be drawn, it will be seen that among other states where assembly elections were held at the same time, West Bengal recorded second highest percentage of votes cast in favour of NOTA after Puducherry. 

NOTA has bagged 1.5 per cent of total votes cast in West Bengal while Puducherry which is though a union territory recorded 1.7 per cent votes in NOTA.  In Assam 1.1 per cent voters have cast their votes in favour of NOTA,Tamil Nadu 1.3 per cent while in Kerala 0.5 per cent voters cast their votes in favour of NOTA.

The percentage of NOTA votes went up to 1.5 in 2016 in West Bengal, a surge of 0.4 percentages from 1.1 which was cast in favour of NOTA during the Lok Sabha polls in 2014. 

While 8,31,845 voters from West Bengal have opted for NOTA in 2016, it was three lakh fewer in 2014. Around 5,68,276 of the voters had opted for NOTA in 2014. West Bengal recorded the highest number of NOTA votes among the five States where elections were conducted.

It may be mentioned that the Election Commission of India had suggested the Supreme Court to 

introduce NOTA and on the basis of which the Apex Court had introduced NOTA in 2013. 

It had viewed that people should have an option where they can reject all the candidates contesting the election on behalf of various political parties.  The option of NOTA was first used in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

In West Bengal Trinamul Congress has secured 44.9 percent votes with CPI(M) in far behind securing 19.7 percent votes.  Congress and BJP got 12.3 and 10.2 voting percentage respectively. 

Forward Block and Independent candidates secured 2.8 and 2.2 percentage of votes and RSP, CPI and NOTA 1.7, 1.4 and 1.5 percentages respectively. SUCI and BSP got 0.7 and 0.5 percentage of the total vote share. 

Around 30,446 voters from all the eleven assembly constituencies in Kolkata have cast their votes in favour of NOTA with Rashbehari recording the highest number of votes cast in favour of NOTA. 

In Rashbehari assembly constituency Nota has bagged 3872 votes highest among the other ten seats in Kolkata. 

Ballygung comes second with NOTA recording 3,433 votes followed by Beleghata 3,153, Manicktala 3,141, Shyampukur 2,700 Kashipur-Belgachia 2,646. 

In Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s assembly constituency Bhowanipore NOTA got 2,461. Around 2374 votes have been cast in NOTA’s favour in Jorasanko assembly constituency while in Entally and Chowringhee NOTA secured 2321 and 2183 votes respectively. 

In Kolkata Port assembly constituency NOTA got lowest number of votes within the city with figure standing at 2164.