New Delhi: The issue of NRI voting received a major push on Friday with the Centre informing the Supreme Court that NRIs would be allowed to cast their vote in Indian elections through proxy or an e-postal ballot system as suggested by the Election Commission.
According to the EC, the e-postal ballot system has almost no risk of manipulation, rigging or violation of secrecy.
The EC had said the system could be initially tried in “one or two constituencies in elections to the legislative Assemblies”. It added that the system could then be “scaled up to more Assembly elections and finally Parliamentary elections if found feasible, practicable and meeting the objectives of free and fair elections”. Former Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi appeared against the Centre and submitted that the issue was pending consideration for over three years and a direction should be given to the government.
Taking note of this submission, the bench granted a week to the ASG to take a decision on whether to amend the Act or the rules and posted the matter for hearing on July 21.
