Voters staged a unique protest in Jaipur's local elections by setting up a 'NOTA Table'.
The protest was against the 'Remove UGC' campaign and the selection of the BJP candidate.
A record 63.55% voter turnout was recorded in the 150 wards of Jaipur Municipal Corporation.
The election results will be declared on September 14, revealing the impact of this campaign.
Jaipur | The second phase of the Rajasthan local body elections 2026 concluded peacefully on September 11. During this, a group of voters in the Jagatpura area of the capital city, Jaipur, surprised all political parties with their unique protest.
Right outside the Mahatma Gandhi School booth in Ward No. 66 of the Jaipur Municipal Corporation, voters set up a third table parallel to the traditional booths of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress, naming it the 'NOTA Table'.
What is the 'NOTA Table' all about?
Typically, in every election, only workers of recognized political parties set up their tables at a distance from the polling station. The main purpose of these counters is to assist voters in finding their names, part numbers, and ward numbers in the electoral roll.
However, the scene at the Mahatma Gandhi School polling station in Jagatpura was completely different. Here, alongside the Congress and BJP tables, a third table was also set up. The activists and local citizens at this 'NOTA Table', instead of distributing slips in favor of any particular party, appealed to every incoming voter to press the 'NOTA' (None of the Above) button on the EVM.
A Democratic Demonstration of Protest
Banners and placards were also placed on this table, prominently featuring slogans like 'Remove UGC' and 'Choose NOTA'. The youth and local citizens present here impartially educated the voters about their right to NOTA, describing it as an effective method of democratic protest.
Why are the voters angry? Reasons behind the protest
Several deep-seated resentments and grievances of the local voters have emerged behind this unique protest. The protestors stated that they were completely dissatisfied with the functioning and decisions of the BJP, but they did not want to support the opposition Congress or any other party either.
Support for the 'Remove UGC' campaign: Local youth and intellectuals alleged that recent changes made by the central and state governments to rules related to the education and university system have severely troubled students and the teaching community. They used the election as a platform to raise their voice against the UGC.
Anger with BJP and candidate selection: There was significant dissatisfaction among BJP workers and the local public in Ward 66 regarding the candidate chosen by the party. People alleged that development work in the area had come to a complete standstill, yet the party fielded its candidate against the public's opinion.
Resolution not to support other parties: When the protestors were asked why they were not voting for a rebel or independent candidate, their answer was clear. They said they did not want to strengthen any other political party or opportunistic candidate, hence NOTA was the only and best option for them.
What will be the impact on the election?
A record 63.55 percent voter turnout was recorded in the polling held on September 11 for the total 150 wards of the Jaipur Municipal Corporation. The fate of a total of 723 candidates is now sealed in the EVM machines.
Results on September 14
In many wards of the city, such 'NOTA campaigns' and the presence of a large number of independent candidates have completely disrupted the electoral calculations of the main political parties, especially the BJP and Congress.
All eyes are now on September 14, 2026, when the counting of votes will begin at 8 AM. Only after the results will it become clear what and how much impact this 'NOTA Table' in Jagatpura and the aggressive stance of the public will have on the electoral outcomes. Following this, the election for the city's new mayor will be held on September 21.
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