Allowing the registered Indian voters living overseas to participate in elections, the central government told the Supreme Court that it would implement an Election Commission suggestion to grant proxy voting rights to NRIs and permit them to exercise their franchise through e-ballots as well. This will be implemented by the government soon.
With the Delhi assembly poll round the corner on February 7, the NRIs will have to give a miss this time. Currently, the only way NRIs can vote is to be registered on the rolls and cast their ballot themselves at the polling booth.
The Election Commission had recommended proxy voting and e-ballots for NRIs in a report submitted to the court. The commission suggested that these schemes be implemented in a few seats on a pilot basis and later be extended to assembly and parliamentary polls.
The central government told the Supreme Court on Monday that it would implement an Election Commission suggestion to grant proxy voting rights to NRIs and permit them to exercise their franchise through e-ballots as well. The measures, which will allow registered Indian voters living overseas to participate in elections, will be implemented as soon as possible, the government said, without giving a date.
