75% Registered NRI Voters In Kerala: Can NRI Vote From Abroad?

More than 75% Registered NRI Voters have flown to Kerala to vote in the second phase of general elections on Friday. However, travelling back to India just for polling is expensive and not everyone can afford it. Here's the other option they have

Who are overseas voters?

1. An overseas elector is a person who is an Indian citizen and has not acquired citizenship of another country.
2. An NRI can enroll as a voter in the constituency where their Indian residence is located as listed in their passports.
3. Overseas electors also have to keep the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) informed in case of a change of their residential address abroad.

How can NRIs register as voters?

1. NRIs were not eligible to vote in Indian elections before 2010.
2. The government amended the Representation of the People Act 1950 to allow NRIs (who had lived abroad for over 6 months) to vote.
3. Overseas Indians have to fill out Form 6A to enroll as an elector.
4. They can go to the ECI's website and click on the Electors section.
5. The NRI will find Form 6A in the 'Forms' section. Click on 'New registration for overseas (NRI) electors' in this section.
6. After logging in, they can fill out the form and upload the required documents, including self-attested copies of their passport containing their addresses in India and a valid visa endorsement. NRIs should also keep their colour passport-sized picture handy while filling out the form.
7. Once the form is submitted the verification process will start. Booth level officers will visit the address of the resident mentioned on the passport and verify the copies of the documents submitted.
8. If there is any need to correct the electoral roll, voters can fill and submit Form 8.
9. The Electoral Registration Officer will let the applicant know about their decision via post to the provided address and SMS to the mobile number mentioned in Form 6A.

Can NRIs cast votes from abroad?

1. After the voter is registered, NRIs are eligible to cast their ballots.
2. However, they are not issued an Elector's Photo Identity Card (EPIC) or Voter ID Card and have to be physically present at their constituencies to vote.
3. As per an India Today report, over 22,000 NRIs reached Kerala ahead of the polling day on Friday to exercise their franchise. About 12 chartered flights were booked to fly them for the voting day.

Is there a need for reform?

1. NRIs got voting rights in 2011.
2. As per a United Nations 2015 report, India has a diaspora population of 16 million (1.6 crore), the largest in the world.
3. The number of NRIs registering to vote in the general elections this year has increased compared to 2014, when 12,000 NRIs were enrolled as eligible voters.
4. There were discussions to provide them postal ballots to cast their votes.
5. A bill to facilitate proxy voting by NRIs was proposed but it lapsed.
6. Overseas voters are calling for measures to allow them online voting so that they can exercise their franchise from abroad.

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