NRIs might be able to vote via net

New Delhi: Non-resident Indians may be able to cast their votes through the internet from overseas in future elections, the EC told the Supreme Court on Monday.

The Commission, however, said that it is exploring such a possibility and that NRIs will not be able to cast their votes through the internet in the ongoing LS poll.

A bench headed by Justice K.S. Radhakrishnan, however, asked the EC to do something in this direction during the current election itself, to which the EC replied that electoral rolls have been concluded in almost all the constituencies.

“Why don’t you examine at  least (the 11,844 NRIs who are already registered),” the bench asked. The EC submitted that it has appointed a committee to explore the possibility of allowing NRIs to cast their votes from overseas.

The bench then asked the EC to file their response and posted the case for hearing on April 11. The court was hearing a PIL filed by an NRI, Shamsheer V.P., who contended that the existing provision which mandates NRI voter to be physically present in the constituency to exercise his vote was discriminatory and violative of fundamental rights.

He submitted that a total number over one crore people will be entitled to cast their vote if NRIs are allowed to vote from overseas.

The PIL said 114 countries have adopted external voting and amongst it are 20 Asian countries. It said that the external voting could be by setting up polling booths at the diplomatic mission, or by postal, proxy or electronic voting.

Mr Shamsheer migrated to the UAE 12 years ago prior to which he was enrolled as a voter in his hometown of Calicut, Kerala and had voted in the elections.

Subsequently, he was removed from the voters list because of his NRI status.