DMK forms NRI wing as poll panel mulls allowing postal ballots for Indians living abroad

CHENNAI: In a significant move ahead of the ensuing Assembly elections, the DMK on Friday launched its Non Resident Indians (NRIs) Welfare Wing. While TRB Raja, MLA, and son of DMK treasurer TR Baalu will be the secretary of this new wing, party MP Dr Senthilkumar and Pudukottai MM Abdulla will be joint secretaries of the wing.

The move assumes importance in the backdrop of the Election Commission considering the idea of allowing postal ballots for NRIs. The DMK has a sizeable number of supporters among NRIs living in various countries.  

The formation of the NRI wing is also important as the forthcoming Assembly elections may turn to be a close contest between the two Dravidian majors. The DMK lost the 2016 Assembly elections by a thin margin of votes and this time the party would like to leave no stone unturned to win the elections.

On November 27, the Election Commission wrote to the Union Law Ministry proposing to extend the postal ballot facility to NRIs for the Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. The ECI has to amend the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961 to allow postal ballots for NRIs.   

The postal ballots will be sent to NRIs electronically. The NRIs will choose their candidate and send the ballots back via post. This partially electronic facility is already available for service voters.