Postal Ballot for NRIs- Needs, Efforts and Challenges

On November 1st, in the Supreme Court, the Union government said that it was considering options to facilitate NRIs, especially migrant labours, to remotely cast their votes.

How do overseas citizens vote?

• The Election Commission of India allows overseas citizens to enrol themselves for voting in the domestic elections.
• Enrolled overseas citizens, however, are required to vote in person at the polling station. This polling station is assigned in the constituency where the individual is registered as an overseas voter.

What has been done till now?

• In 2014, a committee, formed by the ECI, looked into options for enabling overseas voters to participate in the electoral process. It concluded that the most viable option is p