Bengaluru: In a first for rural local body elections, voters will have the option of NOTA (None of the above) as announced prior to the Zilla Panchayat and Taluk Panchayat elections which are scheduled to be held on February 13 and 20.

Announcing the calendar of events for ZP, TP polls on Monday, State Election Commissioner P.N. Srinivasachari told presspersons that NOTA provision had been introduced in the polls this time and all the electronic voting machines (EVMs) will have the option.

The model code of conduct will come into immediate effect in the areas of the State, and will be in force till Feb. 24.

The code of conduct will also be applicable to rural areas of the upgraded urban local bodies for which elections have not been held, he said.

Notification for elections will be issued on Jan. 25 and Feb. 1 for the first and second phase respectively. While 522 ZPs and 1,945 TPs will go to polls in the first phase, 370 ZPs and 1,939 TPs will go to polls in the second phase. There are 2,89,06,753 voters and polling will be held in 36,472 booths.

About 2.41 lakh personnel will be deployed on election duty, Srinivasachari said.