PROXY VOTERS OR EVM/BALLOT FOR NRIS? GOVT, MPS DISCUSS

NEW DELHI : Parliamentarians on Tuesday asked the Union ministries of external affairs and law to consider using electronic voting system or postal ballots for the NRIs, weeks after the government cleared proxy voting for the Indians living abroad.

The lawmakers discussed with the government ways to hash out a technology-driven solution and follow the models used in developed countries to allow the NRIs to cast vote without any hassle.

The Narendra Modi government allowed, for the first time in August 2017, proxy voting for the NRIs — aimed to help roughly 6 million Indians in foreign soil.

As per the rules, an NRI will be required to appoint a new proxy voter in India for every election.

Panel members pointed out that instead of proxy system, the government should opt for electronic system as it would be easier for the NRIs to cast vote. “Voting is after all the celebration of democracy. If we have decided to allow them to vote, shouldn’t we also make the process easier?” said a member of the panel.

The members also pushed for postal ballots but Vijay Gokhale, secretary (economic relations) in the external affairs ministry, said that if India wants to carry out such an exercise on a foreign land, there may arise hurdles from the local administrations.