Vishakapatnam: Union law minister Kiren Rijeju said Election Commission of India (ECI) is proposing to amend Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, to provide voting facility to Indians living overseas through an Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETBPS).
Responding to a question by Rajya Sabha MP G.V.L. Narasimha Rao, the union minister said as on January 1, 2023, there are 1,15,696 Indian citizens residing abroad, who are registered as voters in Indian electoral rolls as per Section 20A of the Representation of People’s Act, 1950.
Rijeju said ECI has taken up a proposal to amend the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, to implement ETBPS for overseas electors. The matter is currently under discussion with Ministry of External Affairs for ironing out the logistical challenges involved in implementation of the proposal.
The maw minister stated that on recommendations of the ECI, a bill titled Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill, 2018, which enabled overseas electors to cast their votes either in person or by proxy (nominated voter), had been introduced and passed on August 9, 2018 in Lok Sabha. But the bill lapsed due to the dissolution of the 16th Lok Sabha.
