Jalandhar : North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) has termed the Indian government’s move to allow NRIs to vote and participate in the elections as a futile exercise as no NRI would be able to come down to India to cast his or her vote.

The NAPA has urged the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, who initiated NRI’s voting right at the recently concluded “Parvaasi Bhartiya Divas” at Jaipur, to explore ‘viable options’ like online voting, voting through mail or voting through Indian embassies.

The NAPA delegates, led by its Chairman Dalwinder Singh Dhoot, President Satnam Singh Chahal and Santokh Singh Judge, have also sought grant of passports to “genuine NRIs” who had sought asylum in other countries particularly in Canada, UK, USA, Italy and Germany.

The Tribune, tribuneindia.com- January 23, 2012.