Introduction:

In the matter of Public Interest Litigation No. 33 of 2024, Suhas Manohar Wankhede filed a petition against the Election Commission of India (ECI) seeking directions to enhance awareness about the ‘None of the Above’ (NOTA) option on electronic voting machines (EVMs). The Bombay High Court, presided over by a division bench of Justice Ravindra V Ghuge and Justice RM Joshi, addressed the petitioner’s concerns in light of previous proceedings.

Arguments of Both Sides:

The petitioner, a PhD student, contended that the ECI failed to adequately educate voters about the NOTA option, citing a judgment of the Supreme Court. He urged for the appointment of a brand ambassador and initiation of a campaign for NOTA. Conversely, the ECI provided evidence of various initiatives undertaken to raise awareness, including mobile demonstration vans, literacy programs, advertisements, and distribution of voter guides.

Court’s Judgement:

The court observed that the petitioner had previously filed a similar PIL, which was disposed of after the State Election Commission demonstrated sufficient efforts to inform voters about NOTA, as directed by the ECI. It noted the petitioner’s reliance on the same judgment and found the current plea repetitive. Considering the ECI’s initiatives and the petitioner’s past litigation, the court dismissed the PIL while refraining from imposing costs but directed scrutiny of future petitions on similar issues.