The NOTA (None of the Above) option in India has been criticized for not having a substantial impact on the quality of politicians or the electoral process. The main reason behind its introduction was to allow voters to exercise the right to participate in the election for lack of an alternative option, rather than abstaining from voting. The NOTA option does not lead to the political parties choosing candidates with a clean image, as seen in the ongoing state elections where the number of candidates with criminal records remains high. It is only a half-step towards establishing a broader "right-to-reject" system, where a fresh election would be called if the majority of voters opted for NOTA. The provision does not prevent the contestant with the greatest number of votes from being declared the winner, even if NOTA wins more votes than the candidates running for office. Therefore, NOTA is not considered an effective tool for cleaning up the electoral system or improving the quality of politicians in India.
Citations:
https://carnegieendowment.org/2013/12/02/nota-is-not-same-as-right-to-reject-pub-53775
https://byjusexamprep.com/upsc-exam/the-nota-option-was-first-introduced-in-india-in-which-year
https://www.samwoolfe.com/2013/07/we-need-none-of-above-option-for-ballot.html
https://public.econ.duke.edu/~aa231/NOTA_voting01.pdf
https://www.votenone.org.uk/none_of_the_above.html