Tendered Vote

Why is it in News?

Officials allowed some people to caste tendered votes in Tamil Nadu during second phase of the General Elections.

What is a Tendered Vote?

According to the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, a voter is allowed to cast a ‘tendered vote’ where someone else representing to be a particular voter has already cast that vote.
The presiding officer may allow the actual voter to vote, if the person is able to prove his or her identity. They would be provided a ballot paper to mark symbol and it would be placed in a cover specially kept for the purpose.
The ballot paper provided to the voter will have an endorsement (i.e. signature) of the Presiding Officer.

Related Facts:

Tender votes are conducted through ballot paper and not the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM).
It is also applicable in the elections to the council of states.
Nodal officer for tendered vote is the Presiding Officer of the booth.

Concept of Proxy Voting in India:

Concept of proxy voting (voting through representative) was introduced in the Lok Sabha and State Assembly Election of 2003.
Under proxy voting, a registered voter can delegate his power to vote to a representative of his choice.
Under Section 8 of Representation of the People Act 1951, only people from armed forces of State, Centre or person employed under Government of India and posted outside the country are allowed to vote via proxy.
In order to be a proxy (representative) for an interested voter one need not to be a registered voter of that constituency, he simply needs to be an ordinary resident of that constituency.
Overseas citizens are not allowed to vote via proxy.

Source: TH