UP polls: NOTA voters rise in Noida, Dadri, Jewar in 2022

The number of voters who opted for the NOTA on the EVM during the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls this time increased in all three assembly constituencies of Gautam Buddh district as compared to 2017, official results showed.

Noida, Dadri and Jewar assembly seats in Gautam Buddh Nagar were won by BJP's Pankaj Singh, Tejpal Nagar and Dhirendra Singh, respectively, in 2017 state polls as well as in 2022.

In 2022, the number of NOTA voters in Noida stood at 2,463 (0.71 per cent), in Dadri 2,033 (0.57 per cent) and in Jewar 1,694 (or 0.73 per cent), the Election Commission website showed.

In 2017, the number of NOTA voters was 1,787 (0.71 per cent) in Noida, 1,665 (0.63 per cent) in Dadri and 1,276 (0.61 per cent) in Jewar, the data from the corresponding year showed.

In 2017, NOTA had stood as fourth option in Noida, sixth in Dadri and fifth in Jewar. In 2022, it stood sixth in Noida and fifth in both Dadri as well as Jewar, according to official figures.

The 'none of the above' (or NOTA) option on electronic voting machine (EVM) was introduced in India in 2013. The option, which had made its debut in the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls in 2017, enables a voter to express dissatisfaction with all candidates in fray from a seat.

While NOTA has found favour with some voters, critics believe the option wields no actual influence on elections and is a fit case of wasting a vote.

The BJP has retained power in Uttar Pradesh after the 2022 assembly polls, winning a majority of the 403 seats in the state and is set to continue with its Yogi Adityanath-led government for a straight second term.