Indian diaspora to register as Overseas Voters

Tags: National News

Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra has urged members of the overseas Indian community to register as overseas voters.

• He also informed the NRI community that the extension of Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS) facility for overseas voters is being considered.

• The government is considering the matter after the Election Commission had written to the Law Ministry in 2020 to allow NRIs to vote through postal ballots.

• A delegation led by Chandra visited South Africa and Mauritius.

• During the visit, talks were held with the Election Commission of South Africa and Mauritius as well as with the NRI community in both the countries.

• South Africa has made great strides in democracy and will host the next general assembly of the Association of World Election Bodies (AWEB) in October 2022.

• India has a very intense and active engagement with AWEB.

• Both India and South Africa are founding members of this organisation.

• Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS) 

• It enables voters to cast their vote on a postal ballot received electronically from their preferred location.

• Voters can avail this service from anywhere outside their designated constituency.

• It was developed to facilitate service voters

• ETPBS is developed and managed by Election Commission of India.