EC removes NOTA for Rajya Sabha, Legislative council elections

New Delhi: Election commission on Tuesday issued an advisory prohibiting None Of The Above (NOTA) option from the Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council elections.

The Election Commission issued an advisory regarding the same to Chief Electoral Officer of all states and Union Territories. The decision has come in pursuance of a Supreme Court judgment in which it has directed that NOTA option should not be applied for elections to Council of State.

The notice also makes it clear that NOTA should be provided only in indirect elections (election to Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies).

The advisory issued by election commission read, “In pursuance of Supreme Court judgment, NOTA option will no longer be applicable in Rajya Sabha election and Legislative Council election; a column for NOTA shall not be printed in ballot papers for these elections”.

On August 21, the apex court overruled the notification of the Election Commission (EC) made during the 2017 Rajya Sabha elections in Gujarat, allowing NOTA option.

A bench of the top court, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra, observed that NOTA should be applied in direct polls only.

[source_without_link]ANI[/source_without_link]