Supporters of hill parties that are opposed to the polls to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration Sabha are likely to hold the key in many constituencies with the Bengal government deciding against introducing the Nota (none-of-the-above) option on electronic voting machines.

A senior state government official said Nota and VVPAT (voter verifiable paper audit trail) would not be available in the GTA Sabha elections. “Nota and VVPAT would not be available in the GTA and the Siliguri Mahukuma Parishad elections. Even the recently held Darjeeling municipality elections did not have these options,” the official added.

The official said many polls conducted by the State Election Commission (SEC) did not have the Nota option. “Since the GTA elections (which are conducted under the aegis of the home and hill affairs department) usually follow the SEC, the Nota option will not be available on EVMs.”

Polls conducted by the Election Commission of India, like those to the Lok Sabha and the Assembly, do have the Nota and the VVPAT options.

The VVAP allows one to see the symbol and the name of the candidate that he/she votes for on a paper slip.

A senior politician in the hills has said absence of the Nota option could make the supporters of those parties which are against the GTA elections key factors in many constituencies.

“This is because the number of candidates is very high and votes will be divided. So, winning margin is likely to be very low. En bloc voting by supporters of non-contesting parties could be decisive in many constituencies,” the politician explained.

The GTA Sabha has 45 constituencies and a total of 277 candidates are in the fray. Of the 277 candidates, 171 are Independents.

The parties which are opposed to the GTA elections are the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, the Gorkha National Liberation Front, the BJP and its allies like the Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists.

“It is unlikely that supporters of these parties will stay at home. They are likely to go to polling booths but in the absence of Nota, their votes could be decisive in many constituencies,” said a hill leader.

A GNLF leader said the party was still hopeful that the GTA elections would be kept on hold by Calcutta High Court.

The GNLF has filed a case challenging the legality of the GTA and the decision to conduct the polls.

Hearing will start on June 21. The polls are scheduled for June 26.