NRIs can vote

The Election Commission of India has opened registration for Non-Resident Indians to apply for voting rights. As regards registration of NRIs in the electoral rolls in their native place, it is informed that under Section 20A of the Representation of People Act, 1950 and rules made there under, every citizen of India-(a) whose name is not included in the electoral roll; (b) who has not acquired the citizenship of any other country; and (c) who is absenting from his place of ordinary residence in India owing to his employment, education or otherwise outside India, is entitled to have his/her name registered in the electoral roll as “Overseas electors”  in the constituency in one’s place of residence in India as mentioned in one’s passport is located.

The application for this purpose can be filed in prescribed form in person before the concerned Electoral Registration Officer or sent by post or can be filed online on website of Chief Electoral Officer of the concerned state or website of Election Commission of India (eci.gov.in).  An application for the purpose is to be filled in the prescribed form 6A which can be downloaded from htttps://eci.gov.in. After getting enrolled in the electoral roll, such person can cast one’s vote in India during Assembly or Parliamentary election at the respective polling station after showing his/her valid Indian passport.  For more details and clarifications please visit eci.gov.in under “Enroll as NRI voters”.