PANAJI
Several voters were upset with an apparent goof-up by the State Election Commission: ballot papers devoid of the NOTA (none of the above) option.
Several citizens expressed frustration that they were denied the option to formally register their disapproval of all candidates in the fray. For some, this omission felt like a denial of a democratic right that has become standard in all elections.
There was no official response from the SEC, Menino D'Souza, a retired IAS officer.
At a booth in North Goa, a group of young voters voiced their anger, saying they had come determined to participate but were disappointed when they realised NOTA was missing.
“We wanted to send a message that none of the candidates deserve our vote. Without NOTA, we are forced either to abstain or to pick someone we don’t really support,” one voter remarked.
Political observers argue that including NOTA strengthens democracy by giving voters a legitimate way to express dissent, rather than pushing them towards apathy or boycott.
The issue has sparked debate about whether reforms are needed in local body elections to align them with Assembly and Parliamentary polls, where NOTA has been a fixture since 2013.
One political observer said: “If Zilla Panchayat elections are truly the grassroots festival of democracy, then every voice -- even dissent -- must find space on the ballot.”
