Postal ballots for NRIs could be a reality soon

The PBD 2017 has thrown up several serious issues relating to the NRI’s. The event has become a platform for the NRI’s to address these for them.  While the employment concerns of thousands of NRI’s working in the Gulf region is one , another issue on the right to participate in the Indian democracy is being debated on the sidelines.

With the Supreme Court having recently asked the Centre about the status of the proposal to allow 25 million Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) across the world to participate in Indian elections through e-vote the topic is imsportant. It maybe recalled that  a bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur in November this year had enquired about the latest stand of the union government.

While the Centre in principle has accepted the Election Commission’s (EC) proposal in this regard and has formulated a draft bill to get the Representation of People Act 1951 amended not much has progressed on the ground. Speaking to the Sunday Guardian , Dnyaneshwar Secretary (OIA) ,” The MEA is not directly involved with except being consulted on the modalities. The final decision on this is to be taken by the government of India and we can only support the implementation of registering as NRI voters”  .

The NRI diaspora is hopeful that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi , who has had the maximum interaction with the Indian diaspora is seized of the matter. Many however believe that the Prime Minister on Sunday may highlight the long pending issue in his address.  

It is important to note that  two NRIs – NagenderChindam, Chairman of the UK-based Pravasi Bharat and Shamsheer V P, an NRI from Kerala had in 2013 and 2014 respectively had filed two public interest litigations in the apex court.

The gulf NRI’s who are usually the biggest delegation every time PBD is held are concerned at the way the  special Gulf Session which was a part of the events has been merged with the other ECR nations.  Basanth a senior journalist said,” The Gulf NRI’s are mostly workers and exploited section . 

The Supreme court order in November 2016 read, “Senior counsel appearing for the Union of India seeks time to take instructions whether any amendment to the Representation of People Act, 1950 and 1951 is proposed in terms of the recommendations received from the Election Commission in so far as the Notification of NRI’s as special voters is concerned, if so, the status of such process may be informed within 8 weeks”. Once e-vote is allowed, NRIs will not have to fly home to vote.

While the Election Commission has ruled out the possibility of allowing NRIs to vote through the Internet or at diplomatic missions abroad it feels e-postal ballot system has almost no risk of manipulation, rigging or violation of secrecy. EC has suggested that since till now only a small proportion of NRIs came to India to exercise their franchise given the expense and time involved. In e-voting, a blank postal ballot paper will be emailed to the voter, who has to then fill it and mail it by post to their constituency.

The gulf NRI’s who are usually the biggest delegation every time PBD is held are concerned at the way the  special Gulf Session which was a part of the events has been merged with the other ECR nations. Speaking to the Sunday Guardian , P Basanth a senior journalist said ,” The Gulf NRI’s are mostly workers and exploited section . The taking away of the exclusive session puts them to a disadvantage as their concerns are more basic than those of NRI’s from US or UK”.

The External Affairs ministry however assured that the concerns of the Gulf NRI’s have been proactively attended to in the past quoting the interventions taken up in recent years will be heard this time as well.