NRI can vote in-absentia by sending authorization letters: Sushma Swaraj

Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has said that as per the proposed amendment in the existing rules, non-resident Indians (NRIs) need not visit the country to vote during elections. “A letter authorizing their relatives would be enough to cast votes on their behalf,” she said.

Taking part in the consultative committee meeting of the Mahila BJP works in Ahmedabad in Gujarat yesterday, Sushma spoke about many issues.  “Under the present arrangement, NRIs wanting to cast their votes in elections in India would have to first register their names with the Election Commission before booking their tickets to visit India for the purpose of casting their votes.

“However, we are planning to amend the existing rules in this regard. NRIs who have registered themselves as voters with the Election Commission of India can hereby authorize their close relatives back home to cast votes on their behalf. A letter authorizing their relatives to cast votes on their behalf would be enough to set the voting process in motion,” she said amid applause.

“There are two women in the Cabinet Committee on Defence Affairs: I and Defence Minister Nirmala Seetharaman. We both are grateful to our Pradhan Mantri Ji (Narendra Modi) for nominating us to be part of the Committee,” Sushma concluded.