Online voting for Indian expats ruled out this year

New Delhi - An expert committee of the Election Commission had said 'no' to e-voting for NRIs but approved proxy voting.

The Indian Election Commission on Thursday said Indian expats have not been granted the right to cast their votes online in the Lok Sabha elections due this summer.
Responding to news reports which said Non-Resident Indian (NRI) voters can cast votes online in the upcoming polls, a commission spokesperson said no such facility has been extended.
"If it happens, it needs amendment to the Representation of the People Act. No such amendment has taken place," the spokesperson said. As of now, overseas Indians have to register as voters, come to India, go to their constituency with the original passport issued to them and cast their votes.
According to estimates of the Ministry of External Affairs, there are about 30 million NRIs living in different countries across the world.
An expert committee of the Election Commission had said 'no' to e-voting for NRIs but approved proxy voting.
A bill to extend proxy voting rights to NRIs was passed in Lok Sabha recently but is pending in Rajya Sabha.

• India