Election flashback: Over 4 lakh people in Gujarat opted for NOTA in LS polls 2019

Updated: Apr 12th, 2024


While exercising their democratic rights, voters with a dilemma regarding the candidates have the option to express their dissatisfaction through the “NOTA” (None of the Above) selection on the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM).

In the previous Lok Sabha elections of 2019, four lakh voters in 26 seats in Gujarat cast their votes in the NOTA. However, it did not affect the margin of any seats in Gujarat, as only 1.38% of the voters in Gujarat had opted for NOTA in 2019.

According to the Election Commission, more than 65.2 lakh voters opted for NOTA across the country, out of which 3,96,580 voters opted for NOTA in Gujarat. NOTA was used the most in the state in seats with tribal voters. In the last election, Gujarat recorded a voter turnout of 64.51%, in which 2.91 crore voters exercised their franchise out of a total of 4.51 crore.

NOTA votes across various constituencies in Gujarat

Sr no Constituency NOTA votes
1 Gandhinagar 14,214
2 Ahmedabad (west) 14,719
3 Ahmedabad (east) 9,008
4 Sabarkantha 6,103
5 Mehsana 12,067
6 Banaskantha 12,728
7 Patan 14,327
8 Anand 18,392
9 Bharuch 6,321
10 Kheda 18,277
11 Dahod 31,936
12 Panchmahal 20,133
13 Vadodara 16,999
14 Chhota Udepur 32,868
15 Bhavnagar 16,383
16 Surendranagar 8,787
17 Kutch 18,761
18 Rajkot 18,318
19 Junagadh 15,599
20 Porbandar 7,840
21 Jamnagar 7,799
22 Amreli 17,567
23 Navsari 9,033
24 Bardoli 2,291
25 Valsad 19,309
26 Surat 10,532

In the 2019 election, the NOTA option garnered significant attention, particularly in Gujarat, where 4,00,932 voters opted for it. Notably, tribal areas such as Chhotaudepur, Dahod, Valsad, and Panchmahal saw a higher preference for NOTA.

The Gandhinagar seat alone recorded over 14,000 NOTA votes. Over the past five years, approximately 1.30 crore voters across India have chosen the NOTA option.

Also read:

Statewide vigilance as election nomination filing begins today in Gujarat

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