The Tamil Nadu State Election Commission favours the provision of NOTA option on electronic voting machines (EVM) in urban local bodies’ polls. But, the option can be made available only after amending urban election rules and various urban local bodies’ laws, a senior official of the SEC says.
Pointing out that the amendment to the laws and rules can be made only through the Assembly, the official says that the Commission has written to the State government in this regard.
Rule 71
Asked whether the urban election rules have an equivalent rule to Rule 49 O of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961 (decision not to vote), which was till recently allowed in Parliament and Assembly elections, the official replies in the affirmative. In the urban election rules, there is a provision called Rule-71 (elector deciding not to vote) and if any elector wishes to use the rule, the details will have to be entered in Form 21 register, which has to be maintained by presiding officers of polling booths confidentially, the SEC official adds.
