RS panel to look into soldiers’ right to vote

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 12

As the country moves closer towards General Election, a key parliamentary panel will examine a petition pertaining to the electoral rights of serving armed forces personnel.

A petition seeking registration of armed forces personnel as voters at their place of posting and the need to constitute a multi-service election commission to protect democratic rights of soldiers, was submitted by a retired brigadier to Parliament recently.

“A communiqué received from the Rajya Sabha secretariat a few days ago states that the petition has been forwarded to the Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice for action thereof,” Brig HS Ghuman said. Petitions received by Parliament are forwarded to respective committees after being scrutinised and vetted a panel of experts.

Pointing out that only those registered in the electoral rolls have right to vote, the petition claims that not nominating election registration officers for military stations till date, amounts to breach of provisions by the Election Commission  and the Ministry of Defence.