Voting by NRIs in 8 weeks, SC tells government

IANS NEW DELHI, JANUARY 12 The Supreme Court Monday asked the government to take steps, within eight weeks, for implementation of e-voting by NRIs after being told the government has accepted the poll panel's recommendation to this effect. The government has accepted both in "letter and spirit the recommendation of the Election Commission. Further steps are to be taken to implement the suggestions in eight weeks", said a bench of Chief Justice H.L.Dattu and Justice A.K.Sikri in their order. The order came as government Monday informed the court that it has accepted the EC report on voting by the NRIs.Appearing for the petitioners Nagender Chindam, Naresh Kumar Hanchate and Shamsheer V.P, senior counsel Dushyant Dave told the court that the recommendation of the panel set up by the Election Commission could be carried out both by the executive order or by taking a legislative route. At this court said: "They (government) will take the follow-up action. If it is amending the law then they will amend and if it is through an executive order then they will pass it." It also told the government to do it "at the earliest". Senior counsel Meenakshi Arora, who appeared for the poll panel, told the court that for facilitating NRI voting as suggested by the expert panel would require amending the law as it at present the votes could only be exercised at the polling booth concerned.