Supreme Court issued notice to Union Government on voting rights for inter-state migrants

The Supreme Court on 12 January 2015 issued notice to the Union Government on voting rights for inter-state migrants.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India H L Dattu gave four weeks time to Union to respond on the application by V P Shamsheer, a native of Kerala, who is based in UAE.

The Shamsheer had filed an application to allow inter-State migrants the same voting privileges, like postal ballot, accorded to government servants.

Further, it sought the Supreme Court intervention to set up a method for in-country migrants – who leave their constituency for reasons of work or employment, business, education, marriage, etc., and to vote from their current place of residence.

The Representation of the People Act, 1950 of section 20 (d)-reading along with Section 60 (b) of the Representation of the People Act 1951 allows government servants and certain other class of persons to vote via postal ballot following the consent of Election Commission.