Government likely to accept NRI e-vote suggestion

Days after extending more benefits to Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs), the government is likely to accept the recommendations of a committee which has favoured voting for NRIs through electronic means. The government is likely to tell the Supreme Court this week that it accepts the recommendations of the committee, including e-ballot for NRIs. The issue will come up before the apex court where government has to explain its position on the issue.

A committee comprising officials from the EC, law ministry and the ministry of external affairs (MEA) had taken the opinions from all sections before submitting a report to the apex court in 2014. Any move to allow NRIs to use proxy voting on the lines of defence personnel and e-ballot facility will require changes in the law. Under the proposal, NRIs will be sent ballot papers electronically and they will have to return it to poll authorities physically. According to reports, chief election commissioner V.S. Sampath had said recently that the MEA was opposed to the idea of allowing NRIs to vote at embassies as it will be difficult to allow such an exercise because, in some countries, the NRI population could be equal to the local populace and it will be difficult to hold such an exercise at the embassy.