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The Supreme Court has extended two months more time to the Centre to finish the necessary formalities and arrangements of a legislation seeking to grant right to vote for non-resident Indians (NRI). This would allow e-voting by NRIs and they will not have to fly to their hometowns during elections.

A three-judge bench, comprising Chief Justice H L Dattu and Justices Amitava Roy and Arun Kumar Mishra, granted the time.
Earlier in April, the apex court granted the Centre a time period of eight weeks to work out the modalities and other features to facilitate proxy voting and e-ballots for NRIs during elections.

The apex court, in its January 12 interim order, had said that the e-voting should be implemented at the earliest, to enable around 11 million NRIs worldwide to cast their vote.

Voters residing abroad will receive blank postal ballot papers through e-mails. NRIs have to fill them and e-mail to their respective constituency. According to the Election Commission, e-voting has a minimum risk of rigging, manipulation or violation of secrecy in this system.

The government allowed the NRIs to vote in 2010, but as per the rules they were expected in their constituency on the day of voting.

-Sumana