A parliamentary committee is advocating for voting rights for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) who hold Indian citizenship. They suggest that NRIs should be able to vote through proxy voting or an electronic ballot system. This recommendation comes as the matter waits for a decision from the Law Ministry.
Chaired by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, the Parliamentary Panel on External Affairs will present its findings on the Indian diaspora this Thursday. One important issue raised in the report is the need for a clear definition of “non-resident Indians,” as the term is inconsistently used in various laws.
The committee pointed out that the current voting regulations overlook NRIs’ rights. Presently, NRIs on the electoral roll must be physically present in India to vote. The report expresses concern over the rising number of NRIs who either no longer have Indian citizenship or hold dual nationality.
While the Law Ministry is still reviewing the issue of NRI voting rights, the panel is urging the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to work with both the Law Ministry and the Election Commission of India to advance the cause. They propose potential solutions like proxy voting or the use of the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS).
The committee noted that any changes to allow NRI voting would require modifications to the Representation of the People Act, 1950, along with discussions with national political parties before any new systems could be put into place.
In 2010, a change was made to the Representation of the People Act that provided limited voting rights to NRIs. As of the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections, approximately 120,000 NRIs are listed as voters, but only 2,958 overseas voters returned to India to participate in the 2019 elections.
