Numberspeak | Will Rajasthan be More Decisive This Time? A Look at NOTA Performance in 2013 and 2018

Rajasthan has a special relationship with NOTA as it was one of the few states allowed the ‘None of the Above’ option for voters on the EVM in the 2013 Assembly elections following a Supreme Court order.

As the state votes again on Saturday, News18 takes a look at how often voters in Rajasthan have rejected all candidates on the EVMs.

In the last two Assembly elections, Rajasthan electors haven’t shied away from pressing the NOTA option on the EVMs. But data shows voters have become more decisive over the last two elections. Will there be an even sharper mandate this time?

From 5.90 lakh votes in 2013, NOTA votes in Rajasthan dropped to 4.67 lakh in 2018.

Official numbers analysed by News18 also show there were at least 25 seats where voters chose NOTA more than 5,000 times in 2013. But in 2018, only eight seats witnessed a similar voting pattern.

In 2013, out of the total 3.08 crore votes, 5.89 lakh (1.93%) were for NOTA. The vote-share of NOTA that year in Rajasthan was more than three national parties – Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Nationalist Congress Party. It was also more than the votes garnered individually by Shiv Sena, Janata Dal (Secular), Rashtriya Lok Dal, Samajwadi Party, Janata Dal (United) and Lok Janshakti Party. It is also important to note that these parties fought the 2013 elections in the state on a limited number of seats.

In 2018, while the total votes increased to 3.56 crore, NOTA’s share dropped to 4.67 lakh (1.32%). All the parties listed above again secured fewer votes than NOTA.

The Election Commission of India introduced NOTA on October 11, 2013 based on a Supreme Court order dated September 27, 2013. The main objective of NOTA was to enable electors who do not wish to vote for any of the candidates to exercise their right not to vote for any candidate without violation of the secrecy of their decision.

Along with Rajasthan, Mizoram, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh were also given the NOTA option in 2013. In these states, too, the vote share of NOTA witnessed a drop in 2018 compared to 2013. In total, these states received 16.37 lakh NOTA votes in 2013 that dropped to 12.94 lakh in 2018.

In 2018, Kushalgarh was among the handful of seats in Rajasthan where an Independent candidate got the mandate. The highest NOTA votes were secured in Kushalgarh the last time. With 94,344, Independent Ramila Khadiya won the seat, while the BJP came second with 75,066 votes. With 11,002 (5.56%) votes, NOTA was at the third position. Khadiya eventually extended her support to the Congress.

In around 35 seats of the total 200, NOTA secured the third highest vote share, including 17 won by the Congress and 16 bagged by the BJP.

The seats where the BJP won and NOTA secured the third highest vote share were Churu, Ajmer South, Nasirabad, Soorsagar, Jalore, Raniwara, Reodar, Udaipur Rural, Mavli, Dhariyawad, Ghatol, Rajsamand, Jahazpur, Dag, Manohar Thana, and Malviya Nagar.

Similarly, in Rajakhera, Hindaun, Lalsot, Khandar, Niwai, Jaisalmer, Nimbahera, Pratapgarh, Nathdwara, Hindoli, Kota North, Kishanganj, Pilani, Kolayat, Jamwa Ramgarh, Civil lines, and Adarsh Nagar, NOTA secured the third position while the Congress won the election.

In around 65 seats, NOTA secured the fourth-highest vote share. These included Jhalrapatan, Suratgarh, Khajuwala, Bikaner West, Sadulpur, Mandawa, Khetri, Sikar, Dhod, Shahpura, Chomu, Jhotwara, Amber, Sanganer, Alwar Rural, and Khanpur.

Jhadol secured the second highest NOTA votes at 7,457, followed by Reodar with 6,108.

In 2013, the highest NOTA count was from Pindwara Abu (7,253 votes), followed by Keshoraipatan (7,230 votes).