Online voting for Indian expatriates ruled out this year

Agencies

February 22, 2019

New Delhi, Feb 22: The Indian Election Commission on Thursday said Indian expats have not been granted the right to cast their votes online in the Lok Sabha elections due this summer.

Responding to news reports which said Non-Resident Indian (NRI) voters can cast votes online in the upcoming polls, a commission spokesperson said no such facility has been extended.

"If it happens, it needs amendment to the Representation of the People Act. No such amendment has taken place," the spokesperson said. As of now, overseas Indians have to register as voters, come to India, go to their constituency with the original passport issued to them and cast their votes.

According to estimates of the Ministry of External Affairs, there are about 30 million NRIs living in different countries across the world.

An expert committee of the Election Commission had said 'no' to e-voting for NRIs but approved proxy voting.

A bill to extend proxy voting rights to NRIs was passed in Lok Sabha recently but is pending in Rajya Sabha.

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Mangaluru’s ₹1,200 crore fix: Massive sewage overhaul to end city’s drainage woes

News Network

December 19,2025

Mangaluru: In a decisive move to tackle the city’s deteriorating sanitation infrastructure, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has announced a massive ₹1,200 crore action plan to overhaul its underground drainage (UGD) network.

The initiative, spearheaded by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV, aims to bridge "missing links" in the current system that have left residents grappling with overflowing sewage and environmental hazards.

The Breaking Point

The announcement follows a high-intensity phone-in session on Thursday, where the DC was flooded with grievances from frustrated citizens. Residents, including Savithri from Yekkur, described a harrowing reality: raw sewage from apartments leaking into stormwater drains, creating a "permanent stink" and turning residential zones into mosquito breeding grounds.

"We are facing immense difficulties due to the stench and the health risks. Local officials have remained silent until now," one resident reported during the session.

The Strategy: A Six-Year Vision

DC Darshan HV confirmed that the proposed plan is not a temporary patch but a comprehensive six-year roadmap designed to accommodate Mangaluru’s projected population growth. Key highlights of the plan include:

• Infrastructure Expansion: Laying additional pipelines to connect older neighborhoods to the main grid.

• STP Crackdown: Stricter enforcement of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) regulations. While new apartments are required to have functional STPs, many older buildings lack them entirely, and several newer units are reportedly non-functional.

• Budgetary Push: The plan has already been discussed with the district in-charge minister and the Secretary of the Urban Development Department. It is slated for formal presentation in the upcoming state budget.

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