SEC has no reason to not to go for NOTA- By Sucha Singh Chhotepur

It is indeed another of ruling combines ploy to suppress the will of the people as they have done away with NOTA in ongoing civic polls. The idea is always to give more democratic choices to people as we evolve but the state ruling parties think it appropriate to go back one step rather than forward. They were actually fearing a backlash after the massive mandate of AAP in Delhi and party not deciding to fight the MC elections.  AAP would have been the direct beneficiary of NOTA to keep its vote bank intact as well show to the ruling parties what is its strength in numbers.

The  State election commission has no reason to not to go for NOTA when we had the same option available to voter, has anything changed  be it the constitution, be it the election process or foe that matter any SC/HC ruling to the contrary. So by following this route it has shown its non democratic nature and functioning. Also we all know that the present NOTA is without any teeth meaning that it does not give/lay down any percentage of polled /total votes by which it can declare a re- election,/ make the winner ineligible but all the same it had given the common voter a way to take out its steam against the bad/perceived corrupt and tainted candidates  fielded by the political parties.

It is would have been  an ideal situation for AAP as both Akalis and BJP with their  fight out in open  are facing a huge anti incumbency because of mis-governance and failure on all fronts as well the Congress which has becoming nearly extinct and irrelevant on the national and state  political scene the NOTA option would have given AAP supporters and  voters an option to show their collective strength  in numbers and anger against both these  political outfits but this opportunity was denied by the scheming combine. We assure the people of state that 2017 is not far when they can throw these into dustbin of political history.

(The Author is Convener, Aam Aadmi Party Punjab.)