Despite several awareness programme launched by NGOs and the election commission (EC), the deep distrust for politicians runs deep in the Hindi heartland. It seems to have lost interest in the electioneering process. In the second phase, UP and Bihar’s poll percentage was 44 per cent, J&K registered 46 per cent, while in Madhya Pradesh & Jharkhand polling was 47 per cent. Thus, in these five states polling was between 44 per cent and 47 per cent, averaging at 45.6 per cent. In sharp contrast, polling was 55 per cent or more in other states. Though Tripura registered a high percentage of 80, the game spoiler, the Hindi speaking states kept the overall percentage at 55 per cent, on April 23. With far less than half the voters exercising their franchise in North and Central India, it’s more than clear that the distrust for the political system is deeply entrenched in the collective psyche of the people in these states. Some feel that if the electorate had been allowed to exercise ‘None of the above’ option on the EVMs, polling percentage may perhaps been better. Others feel, no matter what, North Indians are too lazy to vote. Should the electorate be allowed to exercise the right to reject option?