LUCKNOW: A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed before the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court, seeking a directive to introduce the “None of the Above” (NOTA) option and mandatory printing of candidates names on ballot papers for the Three-Tier Panchayat Elections in Uttar Pradesh.
The petition, filed by Advocate Sunil Kumar Maurya, challenges the current practice where Panchayat election ballot papers only display symbols without the candidates names. The petitioner argues that this practice creates confusion among voters and deprives them of making an informed choice.
Violation of Supreme Court Orders
The PIL highlights that the absence of NOTA violates the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment in PUCL v. Union of India (2013), which recognized the “Right to Vote” includes the “Right not to Vote” (negative voting). Advocate Maurya contends that while the State Election Commission provides NOTA in Urban Local Body elections, denying the same to rural voters amounts to arbitrary discrimination under Article 14 of the Constitution.
Commission Cites Logistical Issues
The petition references an RTI reply dated August 20, 2025, wherein the State Election Commission admitted the absence of NOTA. The Commission cited logistical challenges, stating that printing names and NOTA on approximately 55-60 crore ballot papers within a short timeframe (10-15 days between symbol allotment and polling) is not feasible.
Calling this reasoning “legally unsustainable,” the petitioner asserts that administrative difficulties cannot be a ground to deny fundamental rights under Article 19(1)(a). The PIL prays for a writ of Mandamus directing the respondents to reform the ballot design for all future Panchayat elections in the state.
