New Delhi, Sept. 28: The government is likely to move an amendment to the Representation of People’s Act in the next session of Parliament allowing NRIs voting rights.

This was disclosed here today by minister for overseas Indian affairs Vayalar Ravi, who also said a House panel has already presented its report on the changes planned in the law.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had promised NRIs the right to franchise during the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Hyderabad early this year.

The Centre has also proposed a university for persons of Indian origin (PIOs) who are no longer citizens of this country. It would like to clinch the decision before the next Pravasi Divas to be held in Delhi from January 7 to 9.

The planned varsity, expected to bring in foreign exchange, will be meant largely for PIOs, but some seats could be set aside for residents. Offering courses ranging from medicine, engineering to social sciences, the university will be set up under an act of Parliament and could have a “relation” with the University Grants Commission and the All-India Council of Technical Education. The two bodies will grant recognition to the PIO varsity.

The university plan, in its present form, does not consider reservations for weaker sections, but the institute could be given more academic freedom than central universities. The ministry expects funding from many of the 20 million PIOs the world over.

On next year’s Pravasi Divas, likely to draw over 1,500 Indians living overseas, the ministry plans to spend Rs 9 crore. The Prime Minister will inaugurate the three-day event.

Unveiling the logo, Ravi said education, health, youth, women and investment would be the conference’s key themes. “We’ll hold a conference of parliamentarians of Indian origin, too, during the course of the event,” he added.

Separate sessions are planned to discuss issues of the Indian diaspora in the Gulf, Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa, Canada and the US.