August 3,2017:
NRIs would also be allowed to use the option of proxy, now only available to service personnel.
Union Cabinet has cleared a proposal to extend the proxy voting to overseas Indians by amending the Electoral Laws.
For the Overseas Indians under the Representation of the People Act needs to be amended to include the proxy voting as other means to cast their votes.
While the NRIs and Overseas Indians are free to cast their votes in constituencies where they are registered, according to proposal, they would also be allowed to use option of proxy, which as of now is only available to the service personnel.
An expert committee in Election Commission working on issue had, in 2015, forwarded legal framework to Law Ministry to amend the electoral laws to allow the overseas Indians to use the proxy voting.
The data shows that about 10,000 to 12,000 NRIs have voted because they do not want to spend their foreign currency to come to India and then exercise their franchise.
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