NOTA :The Unsung Winner in DU Students’ Union Polls

It was in 2016 DUSU Polls when None of the above or NOTA was a first time introduced by EC of Delhi University. The very purpose of introducing this option is to empower the voter to reject or say “NO” to all candidates if they do not like any or all of them listed in the EVM (electronic voting machine).
The Congress backed National Students Union of India (NSUI) of Wednesday won two seats in the DUSU elections giving a major blow to RSS and BJP backed ABVP which also won two seats.
The ABVP held three posts in the outgoing panel. The NSUI has won the DUSU president’s post for the first time since 2012. What is interesting and makes the Polls different from previous years was the voting percentage of NOTA. A total of around 30 thousands where polled on NOTA in all posts. For the post of President NOTA stood at third position and secured 5,162 votes, while NOTA got 7684 and 7891 votes in Vice President and Secretary Spot. Joint Secretary saw a tremendous share of NOTA and more than 9,000 students pressed the button while Voting for Joint secretary spot.

NOTA has literally become student’s third choice. More students voted for NOTA in some posts than left Leaning AISA. We tried to find out the reasons!

Swaleh from Motilal Nehru College who is in third year told Aapka Times that “the candidates are undeserving & therefore I made up my mind a day before to cast my vote for NOTA rather than voting for a bunch of people who act falsely and not according to their words”.
A girl from Miranda House Anita who Polled NOTA said “its better to cast my vote for NOTA than casting my precious vote for an undeserving candidate.”
Another girl from the same college who doesn’t want to quoted told AT that “All the candidates have no concrete agendas, secondly they make false promises which they never fulfill and lastly all perform well during the manifestos but they have nothing good/new to offer.”

Statistically it is clear that NOTA had undoubtedly been successful in providing a good option for those who don’t fall in either of the two categories and rather choose to stay aloof by making their own unbiased unique decision!

-Stanzin Jidey Zangmo for Aapka Times

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