By TCN News,
Bangalore: The Popular Front of India has welcomed the NRI voting bill passed in the Parliament and the decision of the Central Government to include caste of the citizens in the Census 2011.
“The bill provides Indian citizens who stay abroad, entitlements to have their names registered in electoral rolls. Though this bill does not give the NRIs opportunity to vote while they are abroad, we hope that the statement by Law Minister Veerappa Moily that the government would consider internet voting is fulfilled in the near future,” K. M. Shareef, General Secretary, Popular Front of India.
The NRI voting bill was passed by Rajya Sabha on Monday (31st August), the last day of the monsoon session of Parliament. The bill is aimed at providing Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), who have not acquired citizenship of any other country but stay abroad, entitlements to have their names registered in electoral rolls.
PFI also welcomed the UPA government’s move to include caste in the ongoing Census 2011.
“The decision to take caste census by UPA government is a bold initiative ever since Independence. It will act as a strong database for ensuring equity and development among all classes of India. In order to ensure the full success and utility of caste census, we request the Central Government to make it part of the complete house hold survey in 2011 and not to mingle it with the ongoing biometric operations,” Shareef said.