Page 29 - NIS English 16-31 Jan, 2026

COVER STORY

National Voters’ Day Special

‘None of the Above’ (NOTA)
VVPAT System

In the PUCL vs. Union In 2013, recognising the importance of voter
of India case in 2013, confidence for fair elections, the Supreme Court
the Supreme Court held directed the implementation of the VVPAT system
that the right to freedom along with EVMs. This allows voters to verify for 7
of expression of a voter seconds that their vote has been recorded in favour
includes the right to reject of the correct candidate.
all candidates. The court directed
the Election Commission to provide
a NOTA button on the EVMs. Previously, if a voter
did not want to vote, they had to fill out Form 17A,
which revealed their identity.

Immediate Disqualification of
Convicted Public Representatives

In the Lily Thomas
vs. Union of India
(2013) case, the
Supreme Court
struck down Election
Section 8(4) of the Anecdotes
Representation of
the People Act,
1951. Earlier, under Election Team trekked
this provision,
a convicted MP 18 km for One Vote
or MLA could The Election Commission introduced the
remain in office ‘Vote from Home’ facility for voters above
for three months 85 years of age and those with disabilities
by filing an appeal. in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Under
Now, a sentence this scheme, a 92-year-old bedridden
of two years man in Edamalakkudy, Idukki Lok Sabha
or more results constituency, Kerala, applied to vote. To
in immediate enable him to exercise his right to vote via
disqualification. ballot paper, a polling team, including three
women, trekked 18 kilometres through
This is a strong step against the criminalisation the forest for several hours, a journey that
of politics. It also established that those who took approximately 5 hours. The voter,
break the law cannot be lawmakers. Politicians Sivalingam, took the help of his grandson,
and ordinary citizens are equal before the law. Mohanan, to cast his vote.

orders and in the electoral process. In the old days, there
were separate ballot boxes of different colours for different
candidates, into which people cast their votes. In the first
general election, the ballot boxes were of different colours,
each bearing the symbol of a candidate or party. From that