NRIs Get the Right to Vote and Contest Polls

This is good news for all NRIs. All the NRIs can now participate in democratic process of their motherland. The long standing demand for voting rights to Non-resident Indians (NRIs) has become a reality. Govt. of India in coordination with Election Commission of India has released a notification in this regard. It is estimated that there are more than 11 million NRIs across the world who can now exercise their vote in their home constituencies in India. The notification also made it clear that all the eligible NRIs have to register as voters and they must be physically present with their passport as a proof on the polling day to cast their vote. But the Govt. has a long way to implement the scheme properly. In AP, you can get voter ID cards within 7 days after the submission application in a proper way.

The notification mentioned that any citizen of India staying in a foreign country and has not acquired any foreign citizenship are eligible to register themselves as voters of the native place in India that is mentioned in their passports. He / she must have attained 18 years of age as on January 1 of the respective year. The notification and facility is in continuation of Prime Minster’s assurance on the issue at last year’s Pravasi Bharatiya Divas.

According to the present rules of the Representation of the People (Amendment) Act, 2010, any NRI’s name would be deleted from the voter’s list if he / she is not staying at their residence in India for six months continuously. With the latest notification on voting rights to NRIs, all the eligible NRIs can submit the application directly to the concerned electoral registration officer of the constituency. You can also download the application from the Election Commission of India’s website and send it by post. As all voters can contest polls, NRIs having voting rights also can contest in the polls. NRIs can register / apply for voter ID cards through downloading and sending concerned form from the EC website.