Panel backs NRI voting, proposes proxy & e-ballots

A parliamentary panel has called for granting voting rights to NRIs with Indian citizenship through proxy voting or an electronic ballot system. The panel noted that the matter is currently pending with the Law Ministry.

Chaired by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, the Parliamentary Panel on External Affairs is set to table its report on the Indian diaspora on Thursday. The report also emphasises the need for a unified definition of "non-resident Indians" (NRIs), as the term is used differently across various laws.

The panel observed that NRIs' electoral rights appear sidelined, with current rules requiring NRIs on the voter list to be physically present to vote. In its report, the panel raised concerns about the growing number of NRIs who no longer hold Indian citizenship or have dual nationality.


While the issue of NRI voting rights is still under review by the Law Ministry, the panel urged the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to push the matter forward with both the Law Ministry and the Election Commission of India. It proposed potential solutions, including proxy voting or using the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS).

The committee also highlighted that enabling NRI voting would require amendments to the Representation of the People Act, 1950, as well as consultations with national political parties before implementation.

In 2010, Section 20A of the Representation of the People Act was amended to grant limited voting rights to NRIs. Prior to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, nearly 1.2 lakh NRIs were enrolled in the voter list, but only 2,958 overseas voters traveled to India to cast their ballots in the 2019 elections.