How to Vote in Indian Elections as an NRI

There has been some good news recently. NRIs will be allowed to vote for the Indian elections, and they can do so even if they are not in India when the voting starts. But now that NRIs are allowed to vote in Indian elections, how can they do that? Here’s all you need to know about the matter.

What Is an NRI?

NRI is short for Non-Resident Indians. NRIs are Indian Citizens who are staying in India for a shorter period than 182 days during the previous financial year. They could also be people who left India or are now living outside the country in order to work. An NRI can also be someone who left India for carrying on a business or vocation.

This is not all, though. An NRI can also be someone who went outside India or lives outside India for any reason showing that they plan on staying abroad for an unknown period.

Why Were NRIs Previously Unable to Vote in India?

So, why was it not possible for NRIs to previously vote in India? It was all due to the dissolution of the 16^th Lok Sabha.

Back in 2017, there was a proposal on proxy voting rights that was passed by the Union Cabinet. Afterward, the government purchased a Bill that amended the Representation of the People Act 1950. Lok Sabha was the one who passed this bill. In order to make it a reality, though, it had to be approved by Rajya Sabha. So, the bill was awaiting approval. What happened later was that the 16^th Lok Sabha went through dissolution. As a result, the proposal has not been revived for a long time.

Why Have NRIs Been Allowed to Vote Now?

It has become possible to vote now thanks to the Election Commission of India, who came up with a postal-ballot option that made it possible for all the NRIs to cast their votes. Therefore, they will be able to take part in the Indian elections even if they are overseas.

Before this, eligible Indians had to cast their ballots through proxy based on the previous proposal, but as mentioned, the dissolution of the 16^th Lok Sabha changed this. Now, to vote, people will have to be present. On top of that, they must be available to vote in their Indian registered constituency.

But if it’s going to be passed, then this new proposal will need the Election Commission to amend the 1961 Conduct of Election Rules. There will be a pretty big effect that the access of the NRI to the Indian electorate will have on the elections overall to legislative assemblies of West Bengal, Puducherry, Assam, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. This is scheduled to take place in the summer of 2021.

Indian citizens who are absent from the country for employment, education, or any other reason and have no citizenship of another country are now able to vote. The address mentioned in the passport is the one where the voter is eligible to participate in the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System. This is how it is according to the Election Commission in India.

However, it is worth noting that as of now, it is not possible for non-service people to cast their votes from a different country. Not yet, at least. The only ones able to do this are government officials and military personnel outside their registered jurisdiction. But there is a new proposal that is being evaluated and hopefully it gets passed, as it will allow many NRIs to use their right to vote for the Indian elections.

How NRI Voting Will Be Done

How will the NRI voting unfold? This is important to know for all NRIs who want to participate in the voting process. Here is all you should keep in mind regarding the voting system.

What Is the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS)?

There is a new postal ballot system, one that makes things very convenient for people who intend to vote during these elections. Basically, the ballot will be sent electronically to the voter. Then, after receiving the ballot, he/she has to fill in the preference. Simply put, you’ll have to fill in your vote, and then you will return the ballot to the officer.

All of this has to be done before the start of the counting. The counting will begin on the final day, at 8 AM. The postal ballots will be the ones counted first.

How Does the New Postal Ballot System Work for NRIs?

Here are the steps that were so far proposed for the NRI if he/she chooses to participate in the Indian election by casting a ballot:

1. You should start by registering with the local Indian Embassy or voter registration booth. You should do this according to what directions the U.S. consulate in your region outside India offered. There are nearly 117,000 NRIs who have registered to vote so far.
2. If you want, you can also use the electronic portal supported by the ECI to register. After that, you can download the specific form 6A. This form can also be found at http://nvsp.in. They are still working to be able to incorporate voters from overseas in case the proposal is passed.
3. While registering, you will have to mention that you wish to vote by casting your postal ballot and by filling out Form 12, as you will be directed by the secure electronic system. Keep in mind that this process will have to be made 5 days before the election notification that is sent to all voters, so be ready to complete it.
4. An election officer in India is going to start a background verification process. When the process is cleared, the voter will receive a notification via phone. The website will be updated as well.
5. A ballot paper will be sent electronically to the voter. This is going to be fine-tuned by the Election Commission. After you receive the ballot, you should download it, then mark your preference for the election, and send the ballot back.
6. On top of making your choice for the votes, you will also be asked to sign an affidavit declaring your pick, as well as certifying NRI status. It also has to be attested by an officer and appointed by the diplomatic India representative in your residence country.
7. Then, the NRI postal ballots, together with the necessary documents, are going to be sent back to India. After sending them, they will be counted through diplomatic bags. Basically, these are going to be sealed, as they are containers that are protected, and they are made for official correspondence between the diplomatic mission and the home government.

Conclusion

Although NRIs were not allowed to vote in the Indian elections before, there is a new proposal that is meant to let Indians vote using the electronically transmitted postal ballot system. If it gets passed, many NRIs will have the opportunity to participate in the elections. At this point, we can only wait and see if the proposal is going to be passed.

Frank Gogol

I’m a firm believer that information is the key to financial freedom. On the Stilt Blog, I write about the complex topics — like finance, immigration, and technology — to help immigrants make the most of their lives in the U.S. Our content and brand have been featured in Forbes, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, and more.

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