First Time Odisha Urban Voters Can Use NOTA Option, Know About The New NOTA Option

(The Quiver) : For the first time,  Odisha  Urban voters will be provided with an option NOTA. Earlier, the NOTA option could be exercised by voters in the Assembly and Lok Sabha polls only . Well NOTA  option will allow the voters to not vote for any of the candidates contesting in the urban local body polls.

In the upcoming urban body polls, electronic voting machines (EVM) will be used .This time the State Election Commission has directed the provision of the NOTA (None of the Above) option to voters for elections to the urban local bodies.

In an order issued on Friday, the SEC stated: “The SEC in exercise of powers vested in it under Article 243 ZA of the Constitution directs that the option NOTA will be provided to the electors for the general elections to urban local bodies.”

It is mentioned in the Order that the words “none of the above candidates” would be printed in the last panel after the last candidate and the NOTA symbol can be found printed in the symbol column .

There was no provision for providing the NOTA option to electors under the Odisha Municipal Act, 1950 and the Odisha Municipal Corporation Act , 2003 but now the voters are facilitated with option not vote any of the contesting candidates in case realise no contestants deserved to be voted.