49 (O) votes will be counted

April 27, 2009: The Times of India

New Delhi: Election authorities in the capital have decided to record the number of voters using the option of ‘‘refused to vote’’ in the Lok Sabha elections. 

‘‘We do provide the option to the voters deciding not to vote for any candidate. But since the EVMs do not have button for it, the presiding officials have been instructed to provide the voter Form 17 A where there is a column for entering such a decision,’’ an election official said. ‘‘A remark to the effect that voter has decided not to record his vote — Refused to Vote — will be made by the presiding officer in the remark columns against the entry relating to him in the register of voters under Rule 49 (O) during the V-day.’’ PTI