MP polls: 1.9 per cent voters use NOTA option in assembly elections

BHOPAL: Over six lakh voters, accounting for 1.9 per cent of the total votes polled, preferred None Of The Above ( NOTA) option instead favouring any candidate in the just concluded Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections.

A total of 6,43,144 voters exercised NOTA option, including 2,633 on postal ballots, sources in the state chief electoral office said.

The state, having an electorate of 4,66,31,759, polled 3,38,49,550 votes.

The NOTA option was preferred by maximum number of voters, 39,235, in Chhindwara district, while minimum 3,378 opted to press this button in Bhind.

The NOTA option was introduced for the first time on EVMs and postal ballots during the just concluded elections.

Constituency wise, maximum voters (9,412) in Junnardeo seat in Chhindwara opted for NOTA, while a minimum 245 used NOTA at Mehgaon seat in Bhind district.

The statistics of voters in other constituencies who used NOTA option are - Pansemal (Barwani district) 9288, Amarwada (Chhindwara) 8232, Bhainsdehi (Betul) 7929, Barwani (Barwani) 7430, Shahpura (Dindori) 7214, Manpur (Umaria) 6262, Ghodadongri (Betul) 5926, Jobat (Alirajpur) 5689 and Aamla (Betul) 5465.

A lesser number of voters preferred NOTA in - Mehgaon (Bhind district) 245, Khurai (Sagar) 384, Tyonthar (Rewa) 435, Sirmour (Rewa) 467, Ater (Bhind) 499, Semaria (Rewa) 546, Nagoud (Satna) 548, Lahar (Bhind) 578, Devtalab (Rewa) 625 and Chitrakoot (Satna) 634.