In Kashmir 31,529 voters use NOTA option

SRINAGAR : As many as 31,529 voters have rejected all the candidates in the fray for the six Lok Sabha seats in J&K by pressing the ‘None Of The Above’ (NOTA) option during polling in the State.

Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency had the highest number of voters using the NOTA option with 10,478 voters rejecting all the candidates contesting from this seat, according to official records.

In Anantnag Lok Sabha seat nearly 6,000 voters exercised their votes by rejecting all the candidates.

Nearly 5,000 voters from Srinagar Lok Sabha seat used the NOTA to express their choice followed by Baramulla (4,568), Jammu (4,382) and Ladakh (1,207), it said.

The NOTA option, which was introduced for the first time in these elections was expected to be used more in Kashmir in view of the separatists holding sway in some areas of the valley.

The number of voters using the NOTA option in the valley was only 1.32 per cent of the total votes polled, it said. (AGENCIES)