QUESTION OF THE DAY FOR CRACKING IAS 2019" ( G.S.PAPER 2).

"QUESTION OF THE DAY FOR CRACKING IAS 2019" ( G.S.PAPER 2).

RECENTLY THE LOKSABHA PASSED A BILL THAT ALLOWS "PROXY VOTING" TO NON RESIDENT INDIANS(NRIs). IS IT GOING TO BE A GAME CHANGER. DISCUSS.

RPA, 1951 mandates the physical appearance of overseas citizen of India (OCI) to cast their vote. In order to amend the provision, ministry of law and justice has proposed representation of people amendment bill, 2017. The new bill added NRI’s for proxy voting along with service voters (existed). proxy voting allows the NRI to appoint a proxy to vote in the election on their behalf subjected to some conditions.                    *     According to ministry of external affairs, there are 3.10 crore overseas citizens of India. A rough estimate by election commission reported that only 12,000 of then are casting their vote. It is because OCI’s donot want to spend foreign currency to come to India and vote.
  *     Proxy voting will be a game changer in the political system mainly in democratic countries like India:
1. It will enable all NRI’s to exercise their right to vote under article 326 of constitution.
2. The addition of millions of votes of NRI’s will have a great impact on central and regional politics.
3. It will make the NRI’s to have a concern about the social and economic conditions of the country.
4. The discrimination between local and overseas citizens was done away with since it does not requires any physical presence of OCI’s during voting.
5. Change in the concept of nationhood.
6. Increase in the participation of welfare activities of government.
                     Despite these, there are many concerns such as NRI’s may not knew the domestic conditions of India, influence of ruling party, against the principle of one person, one vote granted by the constitution. If the Government, takes a careful steps in implementing proxy voting, India will become one of 114 countries allowing it. Irrespective by of proxy voting, the votes of NRI’s in any legal form had a fruitful impact on political, economic and social conditions of the country.

* THANK YOU AND ALL THE BEST....