Non Resident Indians or NRIs will soon be able to cast their vote from abroad through electronic ballot, without having to make a trip during elections. The Supreme Court today directed the central government to allow e-voting by NRIs within eight weeks. This comes days after the Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas at Gandhinagar in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state Gujarat, where the government reached out to the Indian diaspora and promised them more rights and opportunities. The government told the court today that it has accepted an Election Commission report recommending e-ballot voting for Indian passport holders abroad and it would have the process in place after amending laws. The court said e-voting should be allowed at the earliest.
In e-voting, a blank postal ballot paper is mailed to the voter, who has to fill it and mail it by post to their constituency. The system has almost no risk of manipulation, rigging or violation of secrecy, the commission has said in its report.
The Commission had also said NRIs should be allowed to vote by proxy.
Full Article: NRIs Must be Allowed to e-Vote Within 8 Weeks, Orders Supreme Court.