Kochi, Feb 29: The Kerala Non-Resident Indians' Commission on Friday passed a resolution to request the Centre and Election Commission (EC) to make appropriate amendments in the Representation of Peoples Act, 1951, to ensure voting rights to the non-resident Indians working abroad. According to People’s Representation Act, 1951, None-Resident Indians (NRIs) can vote by proxy.
The Commission is a statutory body constituted for the welfare of Non-Resident Keralites working outside India.
The Centre had introduced a bill for this purpose which was passed by the Lok Sabha in 2018, but the same has since lapsed.
Therefore, the Kerala NRI Commission decided to request the Centre to consider introducing the bill in the next session of Parliament considering the interest of the NRI community at large.
The resolution was moved by commission member and NRI entrepreneur Shamsheer Vayalil, who is also a petitioner in the writ petition, filed regarding this in the Supreme Court.
"The central government may consider introducing the bill in the next session of the Parliament session considering the interest of the NRI community at large," read the resolution which will now be sent to the Ministry of Law and the Election Commission (EC).
Commission chairman Justice PD Rajan said the right to vote for NRIs is a genuine demand.
"This is the time that we step up pressure on the agencies concerned to implement this. Voting from the workplace would be a different experience for them. It would be a decisive step," he said.
This fresh development comes at a time when a petition filed in the Supreme Court on the same topic last week came before a bench headed by Justice Deepak Gupta, which considered the case and said it will be heard in April.
"We are expecting a favourable decision from the Supreme Court. We would also approach the NRI commission in other states and request them to raise the same demand," said Vayalil.
If implemented, millions of NRIs around the world would be able to exercise their franchise in the electoral processes of the nation. According to the estimate of the Ministry of External Affairs, there are about 3.10 crore NRIs.
Comments
Some cases people do not know how pakistan flag looks and Islamic flag ... just see green colour and assume pakistan flag... last time SRS member hosted pakistan flag not islamic one..
pakistani flag nowhere near to islamic flag. Green is not islamic flag
What a comment from Master Blaster Ganeshanna are you Citizen of Hindustan? A flag issue you are sending a Indian Citizen to pakistan is it Fair.. YOU biggest buffoon's doing to our Great Hindustan !!!!!!
What you thought about Hindustan, we are proud ourselves like Peanut we do not care Anna, Gangasara makes things very difficult!!!!!!
Jai Hoo Hindustan.
By the way where we can send this Rama Sene for hoisting pakistan flag? Please suggest a country @ Truth Mangalore, Ganesh, Unknown.. Please suggest them a country too,
Many readers here are suggest to arrest the youth and kick him out to Pakistan for hoisting Pak flag (not yet confirmed). However, they are hiding to tell the truth about hoisting Pak flag by SRS terrorists. Instead of asking the culprits to punish, they had supported these goondas. This was done only to blame minorities. In the particular case also i doubt that it was fabricated by sangh parivar. This should be investigated and the person should be punished in case he really hoisted pak flag. However, please make is clear that he is not mentally sick.
enquire about the person who is behind and put him behind the bars....what about the pakistani flag hosted by sri rama sene member before ?????????????? where we need to send him.
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