Cannot give postal ballot facility to overseas voters in upcoming Assembly polls: Govt tells LS

New Delhi: Postal ballot facility for eligible overseas Indian electors cannot be extended for the upcoming assembly polls as the matter is still under discussion with the Ministry of External Affairs to iron out logistical challenges in implementing the proposal, Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

Responding to a question, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said in a written reply that the Election Commission had moved a proposal to amend the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961 to facilitate Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS) for overseas electors.

"Since the matter is still under discussion with the Ministry of External Affairs to iron out the logistical challenges involved in the implementation of the proposal, it will not be possible to extend the said facility to the overseas electors in the upcoming elections to the state legislative assemblies," he said.

West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry are going to assembly polls beginning March 27.

At present NRIs can vote in the constituency in which their place of residence, as mentioned in the passport, is located.