NEW DELHI: Parliament has approved voting rights for non-resident Indians in elections with the Lok Sabha adopting the Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill, 2010. The Rajya Sabha passed the Bill on Monday.
Replying to a debate, Law and Justice Minister M. Veerappa Moily told the Lok Sabha that the government would hold a national consultation on comprehensive electoral reforms in two or three months. The Election Commission had in its report made 22 recommendations, of which six were already implemented.
Mr. Moily said the House had no “dispute” over the need for providing NRIs voting rights but members had views on the modalities of allowing that right, which would be addressed separately.
The current Bill aimed at providing rights to Indians who had gone abroad for employment or education, but had not obtained citizenship of the country where they were residing now, to get registered in the electoral rolls and vote in elections to legislatures and Parliament.
Noting that 25 million Indians living abroad were not able to participate in elections to the country's legislative bodies, Mr. Moily said 25 nations globally accorded such a right to their citizens living away from home country.
Internet voting was one option the government would consider in the future once technical expertise and infrastructure were in place in the country. The Minister said NRIs would be allowed to register as voters in the constituency from where they obtained their passports.
Please support http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/proxyvotingfornris/ and http://www.nrivotingrights.info for getting absentee voting rights. Otherwise it will be just right on paper. It is really impossible for all millions of NRIs to travel on election day to India, even if they can afford to travel.
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