Question: Consider the following statement:
i) Indian government has given voting rights to NRIs since Independence.
Ii) NRIs can vote through postal ballets.
Which of the above statements are correct?
a) i
b)ii
c)both
d) none
Answer: (d)
Related Fact:
- Election Commission (EC) has approached the Law Ministry to permit NRIs to cast their votes through postal ballots.
- Till now an NRI can only vote in the constituency in which her place of residence, as mentioned in the passport, is located. She can only vote in person and will have to produce her passport in original at the polling station for establishing identity.
- NRIs got voting rights only in 2011 by an amendment to the Representation of Peoples Act, 1950.
Current voting procedure in India
The Government of India allows its citizens to vote in three different ways namely by post, in person and through proxy. Proxy voting was introduced in 2003, only for NRIs residing in few listed countries. On the other hand, postal ballot involves ballots being sent by posts.
The Supreme Court in 2013 and 2014 formed a 12-member committee .Committee was to study the three main options for voting i.e. online voting, voting by post and voting at an Indian mission abroad. Online polling was rejected as it felt that it could compromise the secrecy of voting. The Committee also recommended that additional alternative options of proxy voting and e-postal ballot voting should be provided. The Law Ministry agreed to the recommendations made on proxy voting.
Conclusion
- Currently postal ballots are allowed for some class of citizen, present proposal is for overseas citizen of India.
By – Kameshwar Shukla
Link:
https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/how-nris-could-vote-by-post-7088800/