The Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday said it had recommended to the government to let Non-Resident Indians ( NRIs) cast votes from abroad, either through proxies or e-ballots.
The EC also stated in a press release that it was actively considering issuing elector photo identity cards to all overseas electors. A delegation of the EC recently had an interactive session with 30 NRIs at the Consulate General of India in New York on the registration and participation of Indian overseas electors based in America. The delegation was led by Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Umesh Sinha and Deputy Election Commissioner Sandeep Saxena.
They informed the NRIs that an overseas Indian, at present, could cast his or her vote in the constituency he or she belonged to by being physically present at the polling station. The individual has to also show his or her original passport to poll officials.
Sinha and Saxena, however, added that Union government was actively considering the EC’s recommendation for allowing overseas electors to cast votes through proxies or electronically transmitted postal ballots.
Published 01 August 2017, 19:31 IST