There were two instances of voters trying to exercise the option ‘Not to vote’ on Sunday.
According to an election official, a voter at a booth in St. Lawrence Aided Higher Primary School in Bondel coming under the Mangalore North Assembly constituency sought to exercise the option.
The election official said the voter was asked to make the necessary endorsement in Form 17 (A), which is the Register of Voters, as given in our rule book. But the voter insisted that he will make the endorsement in Form 17 (h) which we do not have.” The official said the voter then went ahead to cast his vote in regular media and threatened to inform media about the lack of awareness about it among polling personnel.
Janata Dal (Secular) candidate from Mangalore South Assembly S.P. Chengappa said he noticed a voter in Kudroli trying to exercise the option ‘Not to vote’. “But the polling personnel asked the voter to come after noon as they needed time to know about the procedure.”
As per Chapter 23 of the handbook for Presiding Officers, if a person expresses about ‘Not to vote’ option, the polling official has to make entry in Form 17 (A) and get his/ her signature.
