Participating in Indian democracy from afar

NRIs can vote with ease in the upcoming general elections, which is scheduled from Apr. 19.

Participating in Indian democracy from afar /

With Indian elections looming around the corner, the opportunity for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) to exercise their electoral rights is the essence of democracy. The general elections, which nominate candidates to the Lok Sabha, is scheduled for Apr. 19 to Jun. 1.

Every Indian citizen residing abroad, who has not acquired foreign citizenship and has attained 18 years of age as of January 1^st of the election year, is eligible to apply for voter registration.

To enroll in the electoral roll, eligible NRIs must submit Form 6A to the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) of the constituency corresponding to their place of residence in India as stated in their passport. This form can be presented in person to the ERO or sent via post to the designated address.

Upon receipt of the application, the ERO will communicate their decision to the applicant through mail to the foreign address provided in Form 6A, along with an SMS notification to the mobile number listed in the form. Additionally, electoral rolls are accessible on the Chief Electoral Officer’s website of the respective state in PDF format for public scrutiny.

The application process necessitates certain documentation, including a recent passport-sized photograph with a light background, self-attested photocopies of relevant passport pages displaying the applicant’s photograph and details, and the page containing a valid visa.

Once successfully enrolled, NRIs can participate in the electoral process by physically presenting themselves at the designated polling station in their constituency on the day of the election, accompanied by their original passport.

There are currently 32 million people of Indian origin live outside of India and 42 percent of them are NRIs (Indian citizens) If they ever happen to return to India, they can as a general elector at their ordinary residence.

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