Question

Which of the following statements about NOTA and VVPAT are correct?

i. NOTA was made mandatory by the Supreme Court on September 27, 2013.

ii. The first state to conduct elections using VVPAT for all assembly constituencies was Goa in 2017.

iii. The NOTA symbol was designed by the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad.

iv. If NOTA receives the most votes in an election, the candidate with the second-highest votes is declared the winner.

• A. Only i, ii, and iii are correct
• B. Only i and ii are correct
• C. Only iii and iv are correct
• D. Only i, iii, and iv are correct

Answer 1

Answer:

A. Only i, ii, and iii are correct

NOTA (None Of The Above)

• NOTA is an option on electronic voting machines (EVMs) and ballot papers that allows voters to formally register a vote of rejection for all candidates competing in a constituency.

• It signifies the voter's dissatisfaction with all contesting candidates.

• The introduction of NOTA was a significant step towards empowering voters and enhancing democratic participation.

Key Facts about NOTA:

• Statement (i) is Correct: The Supreme Court of India, in its landmark judgment on September 27, 2013, in the case of People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) vs. Union of India, directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to provide the NOTA option on EVMs. The court emphasized that a voter has the right to reject all candidates.

• Statement (iii) is Correct: The unique symbol for NOTA, a ballot paper with a cross mark, was designed by the National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad. This symbol was officially introduced by the Election Commission of India on September 18, 2015, for easy identification by voters.

• Statement (iv) is Incorrect: If NOTA receives the most votes in an election, it does not automatically lead to the candidate with the second-highest votes being declared the winner, nor does it typically necessitate a re-election. The candidate who secures the maximum number of valid votes (excluding NOTA votes) is still declared the winner, irrespective of the NOTA count. NOTA currently serves as a formal expression of dissent and does not change the election outcome based on a higher NOTA count. However, there have been discussions and demands to grant NOTA more power.

Understanding VVPAT (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail)

• The VVPAT system is an independent verification system for voting machines that allows voters to verify if their vote was cast correctly.

• When a voter casts their vote, a paper slip is generated inside the VVPAT machine, displaying the serial number, name, and symbol of the chosen candidate. This slip is visible to the voter for about seven seconds before it drops into a sealed box.

• VVPATs enhance the transparency and credibility of the election process, acting as an audit trail for future reference and verification.

Key Facts about VVPAT:

• Statement (ii) is Correct: Goa was indeed the first state in India to conduct assembly elections using VVPAT machines in all assembly constituencies in the 2017 state assembly elections. This marked a significant milestone in the adoption of VVPAT technology across an entire state election.

• VVPATs were first used on a trial basis in selected polling stations during the Nagaland by-election in 2013.

• The Election Commission of India progressively rolled out VVPATs, and since the 2019 General Elections, VVPATs are used in all Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections in India, with mandatory verification of VVPAT slips from five randomly selected polling stations per assembly constituency/segment.