NOTA to be available in Gujarat RS polls, rules SC
Despite opposition from BJP and Congress, the SC has ruled that the option of NOTA- None Of The Above- will be available in the Gujarat Rajya Sabha polls. The Congress had submitted that "there's no constitutional provision for NOTA in the RS polls, no order from the EC". The EC, meanwhile, maintained it wasn't a new direction and had been in place since 2014.
Why is it a big deal?
This puts the Congress in trouble, which is fighting hard to retain support. Recently, six party MLAs resigned. If a lawmaker votes for NOTA or someone else in defiance, Congress can expel them, but they will still remain a lawmaker and their vote will count. Congress alleges NOTA, to be used for the first time in RS polls, is an attempt to influence results.
Ahmed Patel, seeking another RS term, tweets against NOTA
"First Rajya Sabha election was postponed. Second NOTA was permitted post notification. Reasons best known to the Election Commission," tweeted Sonia Gandhi's aide Ahmed Patel, who is competing for another Rajya Sabha term from Gujarat.
