Indian voters given right to cast negative votes

NEW DELHI (AP) India's top court ruled Friday that voters should be given the right to cast negative votes against candidates in future elections.

The Supreme Court ordered the Election Commission to provide the option in electronic voting machines and paper ballots.

The ruling came after a petition was filed by the People's Union for Civil Liberties, a rights group.

N. Gopalasami, a former chief election commissioner, said the court's decision would force political parties to select clean candidates.

Negative votes will not impact election results because they won't be counted, but they will be made public, Gopalasami said.

The Supreme Court has been trying to clean up Indian politics. It ruled in July that convicted lawmakers must be removed from office.