BANGALORE: India's upcoming Lok Sabha election will feature a set of historic firsts that will herald a new electoral pattern. Out of which, around 12,000 Non-Resident Indians registered as voters will be able to exercise their voting rights for the very first time, reports B Sivakumar of TOI. Such considerable number of NRIs voters indicates that though they are miles away from the country, they are still very much interested towards the affair of the country.
Among the Indian states, Southern state like Kerala witnesses the highest number of NRIs voters as compared to other states. Kerala accounts for over 11,000 voters followed by Punjab with 138 and Tamil Nadu with 112. Surprisingly, a state like Uttar Pradesh having the largest number of voters has no NRI electorates at all.
Pravasi Bandhu Welfare Trust chairman K V Shamsudheen exclaimed, "Kerala has a large migrant population in Gulf countries. Also, Keralites are politically aware and so many have registered to vote," reports TOI.
The voting eligibility of the overseas Indians came after the amendment of The Representation of the People Bill in 2010. According to it, they are eligible to practice their franchise right if he or she does not hold citizenship of any other country.
"The Election Commission has made it easy for NRIs to register as voters by explaining on its website the procedure to be followed. The manner of voting has to be decided by the government and it may take time," said an EC official.
Though, the NRIs are provided with the ease of enrolling as electorates through online, they still have to go to their respective constituency to cast their valuable vote, the EC notified.
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