The 'none of the above' option

Abstract

It is unlikely that providing Indian voters with a no vote option will either improve voter participation or contribute to a decriminalisation of politics. Voter turnout is not an issue in the country, since over the long term it has been showing an upward trend. Criminalisation is the result of social and economic factors, and the nomination of candidates with a criminal background may not change merely by giving voters the option of saying no. In countries with a no vote option, such votes add up to an insignifi cant number.