The Forum for Good Governance met State Election Commissioner C Partha Sarathi and urged him to declare NOTA (None of the Above) as a fictional candidate. It would preclude unanimous election of a candidate in elections to be held to local bodies
According to the Forum for Good Governance, when no candidate is preferred in an election, voters choose NOTA. However, voting for NOTA currently means rejecting all the candidates, and no significant action is taken regardless of how many votes NOTA receives.
The FGG said that in the State of Gujarat, to benefit a single candidate in a Parliamentary election, all other candidates withdrew their nominations. This situation also occurred in Madhya Pradesh.
A case is pending in the Supreme Court to declare NOTA as a fictional candidate and prevent unanimous elections.
In local body elections, State Election Commissions in Haryana, Maharashtra, and Delhi declared NOTA as a fictional candidate. This decision ensures that elections must be held regardless of NOTA votes.
In the 2019 Panchayat elections in Telangana, the position of Sarpanch was auctioned in some villages, and the highest bidder was elected without contest. This practice would rob people of their right to vote and is considered destructive.
Elections may be held soon in Telangana. The Forum for Good Governance has petitioned the State Election Commissioner to recognise NOTA as a fictional candidate in the State.