Gujarat High Court asks CEO to file affidavit over NOTA

The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) was asked by the Gujarat High Court to file an affidavit and provide details if the Election Commission (EC) had started any awareness campaigns on Voters Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) and None Of the Above (NOTA) options among voters and if not, had any plans to do the same.

Elections for the 182-member Gujarat Assembly will be held over two phases on December 9 and 14.

Advocate KR Koshti filed a Public Interest Litigation, in which, he alleged that although VVPAT and NOTA options are being used during the elections, voters have no or little knowledge of them. Hence, the Election Commission should run awareness campaigns for the voters, he said.

He has also said that the District Collector's office should organise mock rounds at booth level and teach voters how to use the two options.

While appearing for the CEO, advocate Shalin Shah and counsel Megha Jani submitted that the Commission has already launched a voters awareness campaign and pamphlets are being circulated as well. Booth level officers, during their rounds and while issuing the voters' slip, are also explaining to people how to use the EVM machine and how the VVPAT works, they added.

After hearing the submissions of all parties, the first division bench of Chief Justice R Subhash Reddy and Justice Vipul Pancholi has asked the Chief Electoral Officer to file an affidavit about the awareness campaigns taken up so far. The matter is kept for hearing on November 16.

FOR BETTER VOTES

• Polls for the Gujarat Assembly will be held over two phases on December 9 and 14 

• Chief electoral officer will file an affidavit about any campaigns planned for the voters