Bill on voting rights for NRIs soon

An amendment to the Representation of People Act may be introduced in the winter session of Parliament. Your take?

The Indian government is likely to introduce an amendment to the Representation of People Act (RPA) in the next session of Parliament to allow voting rights for non-resident Indians (NRIs).

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"The parliamentary standing committee has submitted its report which says these amendments should be introduced," Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi said at a news conference.

Earlier this month, Ravi had said that the standing committee's report was positive and the bill would be passed without any major changes.

During the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2006, the annual conclave of the Indian diapsora, held in Hyderabad in January this year, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had promised voting rights to NRIs.

The prime minister had said the demand for such rights had a "convincing political basis" and had assured the delegates that his government would take appropriate measures in this regard.