The idea of a "None of the above' ballot option originated in 1976 when the Isla Vista Municipal Advisory Council passed a resolution to put forward this choice in the official electoral ballot, in County of Santa Barbara, California, in the USA. In India, in 2009, the Election Commission of India asked the Supreme Court that to offer the voter a 'None of the above' option at the ballot as it would give voters the freedom of not selecting any undeserving candidate. The Government was not in favour of such an idea. The People's Union for Civil Liberties'" which is an NGO, filed a public interest litigation statement to favour NOTA. Finally on 27th September 2013, the right to register a 'None of the above' vote in elections was applied by the Supreme Court of India, which then ordered the Election Commission that all voting machines should be provided with a NOTA button so as to give voters the option to choose 'none of the above'.
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