2024 LS poll: NOTA Records Lowest Percentage Share Since Introduced in 2014 General Election

New Delhi: The None of the Above (NOTA) option in electronic voting machines (EVMs) registered its lowest percentage share in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections since its introduction in 2013, as per data from the Election Commission.  

First implemented in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, NOTA has seen a steady decline over the last three general elections, dropping from 1.08% in 2014 to 0.99% in 2024, according to the Election Commission’s ‘Atlas-2024,’ a comprehensive data book on the polls.  

While the percentage may appear marginal, the absolute number of NOTA votes remains substantial, particularly in constituencies with narrow victory margins, where these votes could influence electoral outcomes.  

The distribution of NOTA votes varies widely across states. Bihar recorded the highest NOTA percentage at 2.07%, followed closely by Dadra and Nagar Haveli & Daman and Diu at 2.06%, and Gujarat at 1.58%. Conversely, Nagaland recorded the lowest NOTA share at just 0.21%, suggesting a stronger inclination towards contesting candidates.  

Factors such as political competition, the presence of regional parties, voter education, and overall electoral conditions influence these trends.  

Introduced in 2013, NOTA is represented by a symbol of a ballot paper with a black cross. The Election Commission added the NOTA button on EVMs following a Supreme Court ruling in September 2013, replacing the earlier Form 49-O system, which required voters to declare their abstention publicly, compromising voter secrecy.  

However, the Supreme Court declined to mandate fresh elections in cases where the majority of voters opted for NOTA, keeping it as a symbolic tool rather than a decisive factor in poll results.