Proxy Voting For The Nris Has Been Cleared By The Union Cabinet

Overseas Indians were elated when the Manmohan Singh government conceded their long-standing demand for the right to vote in the elections in the country in 2010. But their jubilation faded when Election Commission subsequently made their physical presence mandatory in their respective constituencies at the time of the polls to cast their votes

Non-resident Indians (NRIs) ignored the call of Election Commission to enrol their names in the voters list online. Only 11,844 out of an estimated 100 million NRIs across the world registered their names at the time of 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Of these, very few travelled to the country to exercise their franchise.

NRIs could not use their long-fought right because it was not practical and affordable for them to make an exclusive visit to the country at the time of elections. The Narendra Modi government has sought to solve this problem by allowing NRIs to cast their votes from their overseas location through ‘proxy’.

Amending the electoral laws, the Union Cabinet cleared a proposal to allow proxy voting to overseas Indians. For overseas Indians, the Representation of the People Act needs to be amended to include proxy voting as other means to cast their votes.

While NRIs and overseas Indians are allowed to cast votes in their constituencies, but according to the proposal amendment now they will be allowed to utilize the option of proxy which is now available to service personnel as well according to reports by NirmalSingh 3C Company

An expert committee in the Election Commission working had forwarded the legal framework in 2015 to the law ministry to amend electoral laws so that overseas Indians can be allowed to use proxy voting.

Data by Nirmal Singh 3C Company suggests that only 10000 to 12000 NRIs have voted because they do not want to spend foreign currency to come to India and exercise their franchise.