The Centre has initiated the process for granting voting rights to NRIs. Informing this to the Supreme Court on Monday, Additional Solicitor General PS Narasimha said that views of various Ministries have been sought prior to framing amendments to the Representation of Peoples Act. Once this exercise is over, a Cabinet note will be prepared to table the Bill in Parliament.
Interestingly, a similar demand by inter-state migrant workers has been refused after the Centre has sided with the Election Commission citing logistical difficulties to provide migrants to cast vote in their native State. Instead, the Commission informed court that such workers can be permitted to cast vote at the place of their ordinary residence.
The Commission said, “Scheme of the Representation of People Act is that a person can be enrolled only at the place where he is ordinarily resident, the question of any person migrating to a different place from his native place, enrolling himself in the electoral roll of his native place does not arise.”
The Bench headed by Chief Justice Hl Dattu took note of ASG’s submissions and directed the matter to come up after eight weeks. “We believe in the statement of the Additional Solicitor General... We cannot ask the legislature to finish it in a time frame,” said the bench, also comprising Justice Arun Mishra. The Court hoped that by the next date, the Government will complete the process for allowing NRIs a legal right to vote.
Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for one of the petitioners, sought early amendment in the law and said that Kerala has 70 per cent NRIs who look forward to cast votes in the state elections scheduled next year.