Doha: Over 10 million Non Resident Indians (NRIs) living and working in foreign countries cannot cast their votes to elect Members of Parliament (MPs) to the 16th House of People.
India’s Election Commission says: “Enrolled NRI electors can vote in person at polling stations in India. There is no provision of voting by post, or voting at an Indian Mission abroad. There is no provision of online voting.”
India’s Ambassador to the State of Qatar, Sanjiv Arora, reiterated this. “NRIs need to be present in India to cast their votes. We have noted NRIs keen interest to take part in the political process.”
He refused to guess when online voting would be ready for NRIs who comprise a significant percentage of the electorate.
The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs’ figures as on May 2012, show the total Overseas Indians population is 21,909,875, including NRI population of 10,037,761 and Person of Indian Origin 11,872,114.
There may be a few loyal voters of some parties, who might take leave from work, spend for return air tickets, and travel to India to cast vote. However, this is unlikely since expatriates have job and family commitments.
Thousands of Indians living abroad have not cast votes for decades. Indian Community Benevolent Fund Chairman Nilangshu Dey has not voted for 15 years since the time he arrived Qatar in the mid 1990s because of professional commitments.
“All elections are important. This one is most competitive with new political parties debuting. The electorate is also pressing for good governance, controlling inflation and better living.
“Indians living abroad contribute large amounts of foreign exchange besides being ambassadors of their country. It is a shame eligible NRIs cannot vote despite their hard work in foreign countries. They deserved to be part of the political process,” said Dey.
A World Bank report released on Friday says NRIs transferred foreign exchange over $70bn in 2013. This clearly supports NRIs contribution to the national exchequer. Some NRIs do not vote because the current political system and dubious people contesting elections have frustrated them.
Indian businessman Yoonous Salim Vappattu, who heads hospitality and real estate businesses in Qatar, has lost faith in India’s political process. “I do not believe in India’s democratic system any more. Why should I spend my time and money to take a flight to Kerala to cast vote? Today anybody with no education can become a Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) or MP,” said Yoonous.
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh had said in 2010 that NRIs would be able to vote from abroad during 2014 elections. India’s nine-phase elections cover 543 constituencies in 930,000 polling stations involving an electorate of over 810 million people. The rolls include 97 million new voters since the last general elections held in 2009.
The Peninsula
