NEW YORK (TIP): In a first ever outreach to NRI’s, a two-member delegation from the Election Commission of India held, July 31, a news conference and a community meeting, organized with GOPIO’s initiative, at the Consulate General of India in New York. The delegation members briefed the gathering about the Election Commission’s proposals to facilitate voting by proxy and postal ballot to NRI’s. They also sought suggestions to ensure that the NRI poll process will be seamless. As of now the NRI voter has to be physically present in India to cast his/ her vote.

It may be mentioned here that it was for the first time in many years that a delegation from Election Commission visited the US to brief the media and interact with community. The visit helped community to understand what the government of India was doing and the delegation got a feedback as to the expectations of community abroad.

The delegation — comprising Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Umesh Sinha and Deputy Election Commissioner Sandeep Saxena – held a meeting last week with in-charge Consul General Paramita Tripathi and other consulate officials. About 30 NRIs representing various organizations and members of the Indian news media were present at the meeting.

“We have launched a No (NRI) Voter Left Behind campaign,” they said last week. “Proxy voting is in a very advanced stage and electronic postal balloting is also under serious consideration.”

In the proxy voting method, an NRI voter will be given the opportunity of choosing a voter in India on whom the voter has immense trust. Basing on the voter’s opinion, the proxy person will cast the voter’s ballot physically at the polling station concerned.

The PTI news agency, citing a senior government functionary, reported on August 2 that the Cabinet of Prime Minister Narendra Modi had accepted the proxy voting proposal recommended by the Election Commission.

In the e-postal balloting, the prospective NRI voter will have to take a printout of the voter form and mail it to the Election Commission offices in respective states.

The two poll panel officials made it clear that the two proposals have not yet become law. Only after an act is made, NRIs will be able to participate in the election process in India beginning first with national and state polls. But both are confident that the relevant laws will be made by parliament in time for the next general elections scheduled for April-May 2019.

There are an estimated 16 million NRIs who hold Indian passports. Of them up to 70 percent are eligible voters, according to the duo.

Another noteworthy proposal of the Election Commission related to involving young Indian students studying abroad in the electoral process of India. Emphasizing the importance of involvement of the young Indians abroad, the two members of the delegation announced that senior students at colleges and universities will be asked to take initiative to register student voters. They will be designated Election Commission ambassadors.

Among the community organizations  present was the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin, represented by veteran NRI Thomas Abraham, who still holds the Indian passport. Several other NRI attendees also hold the country’s passport. However, some Indian-Americans holding the US passport also took part in the meeting.

A few questions were also raised by media persons and community members. A question related to voting rights for those who for some reason have not been issued passport by Government of India. Another related to allowing the persons of Indian origin the right to vote which, it was argued will lead to their greater involvement in the affairs of the country of their origin. A suggestion was made that the Indian missions abroad could be the polling booths for NRI voters.

The reply of the delegation was it was not for them to do anything in respect of the suggestions made about the voting right to a category: it was for the lawmakers to decide.