'None of the above' (NOTA) option on EVM.
Credit: PTI File Photo
Mangaluru: The voters in Dakshina Kannada have taken NOTA option positively and the total number of NOTA polled during the election is 23,576 and is in the third position. In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the number of NOTA votes polled was 7,380.
Soujanya Horata Samiti, Rastriya Hindu Jagarana Vedike and Prajaprabhutva Vedike had appealed to voters to select 'NOTA' (none of the above) during polling in protest against the denial of justice to parents of Soujanya.
Belthangady polled highest of 7,690 NOTA votes. NOTA votes polled in other constituencies are —Moodbidri (2166), Mangalore City North (2019), Mangalore City South (1551), Mangalore (892), Bantwal (2353), Puttur (2302) and Sullia (4541). Sixty one postal ballot votes were also in favour of NOTA.
In the 2018 Assembly election, the district had polled a total of 8,809 NOTA votes, with highest of 1,310 in Sullia, followed by 1,245 in Belthangady, 1,227 in Puttur, 1,166 in Mangalore City North, 1,033 in Moodbidri, 1,063 in Mangalore City South, 946 in Bantwal and 819 in Mangalore.
In the 2023 assembly election, NOTA polled in the district was 9,095. Sullia has polled highest of 2,562, followed by Mangalore City South – 1,203, Mangalore City North - 1,194, Belthangady - 892, Moodbidri - 837, Puttur - 866, Bantwal - 821 and Mangalore - 720 votes.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha election, NOTA had secured 7,109 votes.