Now Non–Resident of Indians (NRIs) can also participate in the electoral activity as on Wednesday Union Cabinet cleared a proposal to allow Proxy Voting for the NRIs. People living in overseas can exercise their voting rights through “proxy” once the proposal get passed by the Parliament. Currently only service personnel are permitted to vote through proxy.
An expert committee of 12 members led by Vinod Zutshi in the election commission has been set up, and in 2015, expert committee presented the legal framework to the law ministry to amend electoral laws to allow overseas Indians use proxy voting.
Also Supreme Court granted 6 weeks of time to the centre to ponder over the procedures involved in allowing proxy voting and e-ballots for NRIs during elections.
Chairman of Pravasi Bharat Mr. Nagender Chindam filed a petition under section 20 A saying that the registered NRI voter can cast his vote in his own constituency; no external voting method is permissible.
Hence, SC appointed three Judge Bench to incorporate the changes which were proposed in the bill to allow non-resident Indians (NRIs) to vote in Indian elections. The propositions included allowing NRIs to vote by proxy and through e-ballots.
According to the source, only 10,000 to 12,000 could vote as it is very inconvenient to spend foreign currency to come to India and exercise their right.