Secys okay proxy voting for armed forces

NEW DELHI, Sept 5: The high-powered four-member group of secretaries GoS has cleared the proposal on permitting proxy voting for armed forces personnel, a Defence Ministry spokesman said today.

The clearance to the proposal by the GoS has paved the way for proposal to go to the Union Cabinet, for which a Cabinet note will now be prepared.

The GoS, comprising the Defence Secretary, Home Secretary, Secretary Personnel and Secretary Legislative Affairs, was set up on August 27 at the initiative of Defence Minister George Fernandes following a meeting on the issue at the South Block here.

Fernandes has expressed hope that the facility of proxy voting be made available to armed forces personnel for the coming Assembly elections in four states later this year. Soon after assuming charge the defence minister had written to the Prime Minister that armed forces personnel be permitted to vote by proxy through making suitable amendments to the existing electoral law. He had noted in the letter that such ameasure would fulfill the longstanding aspirations of the defence services personnel.