Supreme Court Suggests Minimum Vote Requirement for Unopposed Election Wins
In a significant development aimed at strengthening democratic values, the Supreme Court has questioned the validity of declaring a sole candidate elected without public voting. It emphasized that even in unopposed scenarios, a basic level of voter approval—say, 10% or 15% of total votes—should be mandated. This discussion stems from a petition by the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, which argues that denying the NOTA (None of the Above) option violates the right to expression under Article 19(1)(a).
The Supreme Court of India has suggested that candidates declared elected unopposed in elections must secure a minimum percentage of votes to validate their win. This suggestion came during a hearing on the constitutionality of Section 53(2) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which currently allows unopposed wins without actual polling
Summary/Static | Details |
Why in the news? | Supreme Court Suggests Minimum Vote Requirement for Unopposed Election Wins |
Law Challenged | Section 53(2), Representation of the People Act, 1951 |
Petition Filed By | Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy |
Core Argument | Denial of NOTA violates Article 19(1)(a) |
SC Suggestion | Minimum vote % for unopposed candidates (10-15%) |
ECI’s Position | Uncontested elections are rare; NOTA not applicable without polling |
Example from 2024 | BJP’s Mukeshkumar Dalal elected unopposed in Surat |
Voters Deprived Historically | Over 82 lakh in 26 uncontested Lok Sabha constituencies since 1951 |
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