In a televised address on 11th National Voters' Day on Sunday, 24 January, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora said that mock trials for remote voting facility would begin soon.
He also added that poll panel suggestion to extend postal ballot facility for overseas Indians was under consideration by the Law Ministry. What exactly is remote voting facility? Can NRIs vote through postal ballot? Here's all we know:
What is remote voting?
Remote voting refers to the process of enabling a voter to cast his or her franchise from any polling station in the country – and not just the one they are registered in.
Here’s an example of how it works:
Take for example a voter is registered in Chennai and is living in Delhi for work. When the next Lok Sabha elections are held, they may be able to cast their vote for their constituency in Chennai from a polling station in Delhi.
The EC says that this step will help lakhs of voters who live outside their constituencies to exercise their franchise.
But, how will this be possible?
The exact details are still unknown. However, the EC has collaborated with IIT-Madras to work on a technology that will allow this. Watch this space for more update on this.
Does this mean I can vote from home if I am not living in my registered constituency?
Not at all. The person will be required to reach an allotted voting booth – where a personalised voting slip is likely to be generated after verification of identity.
When will the mock trials begin?
CEC Sunil Arora has not specified a clear timeline for this. Watch out this space for more details.
What is the update on postal ballot voting for NRIs?
The proposal made by the Election Commission to the Law Ministry is still under consideration.
The EC told the government it had received representations from Indians across the world about facilitating voting through postal votes since travelling to India only for this purpose is a ‘costly affair’.
“… Otherwise too they cannot leave the country of their residence owing to specific compulsions of employment, education or other engagements,” states the EC’s letter addressed to the Law Secretary, as reported by the Indian Express.
How can an NRI vote in India at present?
- An NRI can vote in the constituency that has been stated as her place of residence, as mentioned in the passport.
- She can only vote in person
- The person will also have to produce her passport in original at the polling station for establishing identity.
- Voting rights for NRIs was introduced only in 2011, through an amendment to the Representation of the People Act 1950.
If approved, how will NRIs vote through postal ballot?
- According to the proposal made by the poll body, NRI is keen on voting through postal ballot.
- Should notify the Returning Officer in their constituency no less than five years after notification of election.
- The RO will dispatch the ballot paper electronically
- NRIs will download this, cast their ballot and get it attested by an officer appointed by representative of India, in the country where the NRI resides.
(With inputs from The Indian Express.)
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