New Delhi
The Supreme Court on Friday deferred hearing on a PIL seeking to allow Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) to vote in Indian elections through postal or e-ballots to January.

A Bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur posted the PIL for hearing in January 2019 after being told that the Bill to amend the Representation of People’s Act, 1951, was expected to come up before the Rajya Sabha in the Winter Session of Parliament commencing on December 11.
The Lok Sabha passed The Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill, 2017, in August this year.

The top court is seized of petitions filed by Nagender Chindam and Shamseer VP, seeking directions to the government and the EC to allow NRIs to vote through postal ballot.

The Narendra Modi government had told the Supreme Court in October 2015 that it was considering a draft Bill to allow e-voting by NRIs.

The top court had asked the government to enable e-voting by NRIs within three months after making necessary amendments to the Representation of Peoples Act, 1951. The government told the court that it had approved e-ballot voting for Indian passport holders abroad, as recommended by the EC. It had told the top court that a proper process would be put in place after amending the relevant laws.