While the constituency recorded 1,223 invalid votes in the 2020 election, the number surged to 10,245 in the latest poll. Hubballi : A sharp rise in invalid votes has raised concerns about voter awareness and election management in Karnataka ’s West Graduates’ Constituency. experts have blamed the Election Commission (EC) for failing to create adequate awareness on how to avoid invalid votes While some attribute the trend to graduates’ inability to correctly mark ballot papers. The increase has also become a concern in elections to graduates’ and teachers’ constituencies, local bodies, and the MLA quota, where the number of invalid votes has been steadily rising.
We have heard that if someone writes the numeral ‘1’ with a leftward stroke on top and a vertical line below, the vote may be rejected. Therefore, mock or demo polling exercises should be conducted in colleges or at polling stations.
Alternatively, a separate room could be provided at polling booths for mock voting before actual polling,” Kenchannavar said. “Awareness should begin with explaining why there are separate constituencies for graduates, teachers, local body members and MLAs. As citizens, we are accustomed to using EVMs in general elections and have moved away from ballot papers. “The EC should also reveal samples of invalid votes and explain why they were rejected. Some campaigners advised voters to draw only a straight vertical line without touching the upper or lower boundaries of the box,” he explained.