NRI voting needs law changes: Election Commission

The EC suggested that voting by NRIs could be allowed on the lines of defence personnel and providing e-ballot facility to them would require changes in the law and a legislative framework. The petitioners, including NRI Shamsheer V.P., had submitted that over one crore people would be entitled to cast their vote if NRIs were allowed to vote from their place of residence abroad. Senior counsel Dushyant Dave, appearing for the petitioner, maintained that implementation could be done even through an executive order. The bench made it clear to the ASG that the EC’s suggestions should be implemented in letter and spirit in eight weeks. The bench also sought the response of the EC on another application filed by the petitioner that citizens who migrated from their original constituency must also be examined.