Voting Rights to NRIs

[Proud2Bindian]

Being a part of the greater Indian society, NRIs must have the right to be a part of the political process in India. It’s a positive step that, our Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has announced on the Pravashi Bharatiya Diwas that NRIs will also be given the right to vote.

In certain cases, he NRIs are more aware of the political changes. International exposure makes them more sensible about the future of Indian politics. Thus it can be assumed that their voting rights will bring a significant change in the political affairs of India.

But the problem is that, the NRIs are not concentrated in a particular constituency of India. In most of the constituencies, the number of NRIs will be less than 1 percent. And difference in 1 percent vote will not impact the election of any constituency.

The only positive change may happen, if the NRIs take any positive step to influence the masses in favor of bright political future. But how the NRIs will influence the election in India is a matter of debate. Can anyone comment?

[computer-p4]

I think voting rights to Non Resident Indians will not help India in anyway.Most NRIs do not even know about the problems india dealing with.

[quizzycal]

I came across various discussions on whether the NRIs should get the voting powers or not. They have left the country and settled in different parts of the world due to a lot of obvious reasons. But that does not mean they are not eligible for the voting power. The Indian government is trying to grant the voting right to the NRIs who are living in different countries of the world.

[quizzycal]

Agreed…that NRI’s form a meager part of any constituency but the case is the same with individual voters. At last its drops that combine to form a sea. A way trough also can be NRI’s voting directly for the central government. Their votes can be counted separate and added to the respective totals of the parties at the centre. This will also lessen the difficulties in counting.

[Rashijain]

Indian Law and Justice Minister says NRIs to get voting rights soon

Indian Government is planning to provide voting rights to Non-Resident Indians and steps are being taken to make it a reality, Law and Justice Minister Veerappa Moily has said.

"The Law ministry has initiated a scheme to provide voting rights to Non Resident Indians and it will become a reality soon," Moily told members of the Indian Overseas Congress (UK) London last evening.

Replying to a representation made by D L Kalhan, President of the Indian Overseas Congress, at the Indian Gymkhana here that the NRIs demand for right to vote in India was pending for long, the Law Minister said "necessary legislation for that purpose would be enacted soon."

Answering queries at the reception hosted in his honour, Moily said Non resident Indians would have to visit India at the time of the elections.

Efforts would also be made to provide voting facilities at the concerned Indian Missions abroad. There are an estimated over 22 million Non Resident Indians spread all over the world.

He said for the purpose of registration as voters in India, their last address in India would be taken into consideration.

The right to vote would, however, not be available to Non Resident Indians who have acquired citizenship of other countries, he said.

Moily also assured the Indians in United Kingdom ( UK) that he would take up the issue of providing visa-free travel facilities to them in the European Union.

source : Daily pioneer

[Surya]

In the case of Indians that have an NRI status, these are those people who have migrated to other nations, but their citizenship remains unaltered. The only thing that affects their NRI status is their earning, which put them in the residing countries tax bracket and that is why they get the status of NRI. But since they are citizens of India, they have the right to vote.

[nidhisood]

NRIs can now cast votes in their constituencies in India as the government of India has notified rules in this regard, fulfilling the longstanding demand of NRIs estimated to be 11 million.

The rules make it clear that the Non resident Indians would have to register as voters in India and be "physically present" with their Indian passport on the polling day to exercise their voting rights.

There is no provision for postal balloting.

"Every citizen of India staying in a foreign country, who has not acquired citizenship of a foreign country, and has completed 18 years of age as on January 1 of the year, can make an application for being registered in the roll for the constituency pertaining to the locality in which his place of residence in India as mentioned in the passport is located," said the notification prepared in consultation with the Election Commission.