Center to SC : Considering amending law to allow NRI voting

The Union government on Friday told the Supreme Court that it has decided to amend the law to allow voting rights to the NRIs.

"A Group of Ministers met here on July 20 and decided that it is imperative to amend the Representation of People Act for the purpose," Attorney General K K Venugopal submitted before a bench of Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud.

He pointed out that Section 20 (a) of the R P Act was to be amended to grant permission to the NRIs for casting their votes in elections here. The court put the matter for consideration after two weeks on request made by Venugopal.

The top court had on July 14 pulled up the government over its failure to amend either the law or rules to allow voting rights to the NRIs through proxy and e-ballots during the elections here.It had said that the matter has been kept on pending since 2014 on government's contention it will bring in amendment. 

"This is not the way government works,” the bench had then told the law officer as he said the government was in the processs of amending the rules framed under the Representation of People Act, 1950.

A PIL by Shamsheer V P has said that the government had allowed armed forces, posted at other places than of their residence to vote and it could further do it for the NRIs as well by simply amending the rules.

The government had earlier accepted the Election Commission's recommendation in letter and spirit giving the option of voting for the NRIs, who wanted to cast their vote during Parliamentary and Assembly elections in the country. A committee set up by the EC had favoured for it.

Nagender Chindam, the chairman of Pravasi Bharat organisation, represented by his advocate Urmila Surur was the first to approach the apex court seeking voting rights for the NRIs.