Debate over NOTA heats up in State Election Commission meeting
The BJP stated that it could not take a position, as the issue of unopposed elections was already under Supreme Court review.
Hyderabad: In the wake of the upcoming local body elections, the State Election Commission held a meeting with representatives from various political parties, where the inclusion of the None of the Above (NOTA) option became a major point of debate.
Representatives from the Congress, BJP, T-TDP, Jana Sena, CPI, CPM, and MIM attended the meeting. Key discussions revolved around making NOTA mandatory in local body elections and reviewing the final voter list.
Political parties expressed contrasting views on the issue. The Congress opposed recognizing NOTA as a candidate, arguing that conducting elections in constituencies with unopposed candidates would be an unnecessary financial burden. In contrast, BRS supported considering NOTA as a candidate, warning that unopposed elections could lead to coercion and misuse of power.
The BJP stated that it could not take a position, as the issue of unopposed elections was already under Supreme Court review. However, it emphasized that panchayat elections should follow existing regulations. Telangana TDP mentioned that it would announce its stance within two days.
Jana Sena advocated for the inclusion of NOTA even in constituencies with a single candidate. Meanwhile, the CPM highlighted that the Supreme Court had already ruled in favor of conducting elections with the NOTA option.