NRIs get right to vote in Indian elections, promises PM

Fulfilling a long-standing demand of its diaspora, India Sunday said it would allow NRIs to vote and participate in the election process.

'Pursuant to the law that was enacted to enable Non-resident Indians to vote in our national elections, the government has issued notifications for registration of overseas electors under the Representation of People Act, 1950,' Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said.

'The government and people of India recognise and value the important role being played by Indian communities living abroad. We believe that Indian diaspora has much more to contribute to the building of modern India,' the prime minister said.

'We propose to facilitate, encourage and promote this engagement. Over the past year, we have taken a number of steps towards this end,' he added, as he formally inaugurated the 10th annual diaspora meet, the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) here.

Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi said NRIs would be able to exercise their franchise in upcoming elections.

'Indian nationals living abroad can now exercise their franchise in India at the time o f the elections,' Ravi said.

Now those NRIs who have registered with the embassies of their respective countries of stay, would be eligible to vote in the upcoming assembly elections in five states including Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur. Polls will take place in these countries between Jan 28 and March 3.

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100-year-old India-born marathoner finishes race‎‏

A 100-year-old runner became the oldest person to complete a full-distance marathon when he finished the race in Toronto on Sunday. Indian-born Fauja Singh earned a spot in the Guiness World Book of Records for his accomplishment.

It took Singh more than eight hours to cross the finish line, more than six hours after Kenya's Kenneth Mungara won the event for the fourth straight year and he was the last competitor to complete the course. But his time wasn't nearly as remarkable as the accomplishment.

Event workers dismantled the barricades along the finish line and took down sponsor banners even as Singh made his way up the final few hundred yards of the race.