Voting Abroad in Indian Elections ? Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) | #AskJP | FDR India
Summary
TLDRThe speaker addresses the issue of NRI (Non-Resident Indian) voting rights, highlighting that while Indian citizens abroad can vote, they must return to India to do so. The speaker suggests implementing postal ballots for NRIs, similar to military personnel and election workers, and explores the idea of downloadable ballots or electronic voting for overseas citizens. The speaker also advocates for dual citizenship, arguing that it would benefit India by keeping strong ties with the Indian diaspora and enhancing their contribution to the country both politically and economically.
Takeaways
- ✉️ Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) do have voting rights under Indian law, but they must return to India to cast their vote, making it impractical for most.
- 🌍 Many other countries, like Britain, provide more flexible options for overseas voting, such as polling booths abroad or electronic voting.
- 📮 In India, only servicemen, armed forces personnel, and election officials can vote through postal ballots, but there's no reason NRIs can't be granted the same right.
- 🖨️ A feasible option for NRI voting is allowing them to download postal ballots online, print, mark, and send them back, reducing delays and logistical challenges.
- 💻 While electronic voting for NRIs is a possibility, it would require strong safeguards, as online systems are more vulnerable than the current electronic voting machines used in India.
- 🔒 There are concerns about the safety of electronic voting machines, but after years of use, they are generally trusted in India, though online voting may demand even higher security measures.
- 🧪 Introducing electronic voting for NRIs on a pilot basis before rolling it out nationwide could be a cautious and practical approach.
- 🇮🇳 Many democratic countries, including neighbors like Pakistan and Bangladesh, allow dual citizenship, but India does not, which is seen as a loss of committed citizens.
- 💔 NRIs often have to choose between citizenship in the country where they’ve built a life and their love for India, which could be mitigated by allowing dual citizenship.
- 🔄 Allowing dual citizenship would strengthen political, economic, and social ties with NRIs and people of Indian origin, making them more invested in India’s progress.
Q & A
What is the main issue raised in the script regarding NRI voting rights?
-The main issue raised is that non-resident Indians (NRIs), despite having voting rights, must physically come to India to vote, which is impractical for many of them. The speaker suggests more accessible solutions like postal ballots or electronic voting.
What are the two classes of people currently allowed to vote by postal ballot in India?
-Currently, only two classes of people are allowed to vote by postal ballot: members of the armed forces and government employees involved in election duties, including security personnel and police.
Why is postal voting for NRIs not currently a feasible option?
-Postal voting is not feasible for NRIs because of the logistical challenge. The time frame between finalizing the ballot paper and the election is too short for mailing the ballots internationally and receiving them back in time.
What solution does the speaker propose to make postal voting possible for NRIs?
-The speaker suggests allowing NRIs to download their ballot paper electronically. After printing and marking it, they could mail it back to the returning officer, simplifying the process and reducing delays.
What concerns are associated with introducing electronic voting for NRIs?
-The primary concern with electronic voting is the need for greater safeguards to prevent tampering, especially since this would involve online systems, unlike the current electronic voting machines (EVMs) used in India, which are not networked.
Why does the speaker believe introducing electronic voting for NRIs could be beneficial?
-The speaker believes that electronic voting, with appropriate safeguards, could make it easier for NRIs to participate in elections. It could be introduced on a pilot basis to test its feasibility before expanding it nationwide.
How has India’s political system responded to the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs)?
-India's political system has largely accepted the safety and reliability of EVMs, although there were initial doubts and challenges. Over time, EVMs have gained trust, and there is no credible evidence of serious tampering.
What is the speaker's stance on dual citizenship for Indians?
-The speaker advocates for allowing dual citizenship, as it would help India retain the loyalty of NRIs and people of Indian origin. This would benefit India politically, economically, and socially by maintaining their connection to the country.
Which countries does the speaker cite as examples that allow dual citizenship?
-The speaker mentions countries like Britain, France, Germany, Japan, and the United States, which allow dual citizenship and suggests that India could follow their example.
What is the broader benefit the speaker sees in allowing NRIs to vote and hold dual citizenship?
-The speaker believes that allowing NRIs to vote and hold dual citizenship would help improve the nature of Indian politics, reducing the influence of money power and other negative forces. It would also strengthen India's global connections and economic prospects.
Outlines
🗳️ Introduction and NRI Voting in India
In this introductory segment, the host addresses a question from Swami, a software professional from Tampa, Florida, regarding voting rights for non-resident Indians (NRIs). While Indian citizens, including NRIs, have the right to vote, they must physically return to India to cast their ballot. This creates significant challenges for many, unlike other countries where overseas voting is more accessible through mechanisms like postal ballots or electronic voting. The host highlights this impracticality and sets the stage for further discussion on potential solutions.
📬 Postal Ballot: An Easier Option for NRI Voting
The host explains that only two groups in India—armed forces personnel and government employees on election duty—are allowed to vote via postal ballot. He argues that there is no valid reason why NRIs should not be extended the same right. The process could be simplified if NRIs were permitted to download the appropriate ballot paper for their constituency, fill it out, and mail it back. While this would require some form of identity verification and secure handling, the host believes it would significantly increase voter participation among NRIs without undue complications.
🖥️ Exploring the Potential of Electronic Voting for NRIs
Moving beyond postal ballots, the host discusses the idea of electronic voting for NRIs. He acknowledges that online voting introduces greater security concerns, especially since electronic voting in India is conducted using discrete machines that are not connected to any network. However, he proposes a pilot program allowing online voting for overseas Indians, which, if successful, could be expanded to the general public. Safeguards and legal provisions would be necessary to ensure the integrity of this system.
🛡️ Trust in EVMs and Concerns Over Online Voting
The host touches on the long-standing debate over the security of India's electronic voting machines (EVMs). Though it took many years for the political system and public to accept EVMs as secure, there is now broad consensus on their reliability. However, online voting for NRIs would require even greater safeguards, given the increased vulnerability of networked systems. He suggests that the political system and public would need time to build trust in any online voting mechanism.
🇮🇳 Addressing Dual Citizenship: A Bigger Debate
The host expands the conversation by discussing the lack of dual citizenship in India, which he sees as a loss for the country. Most major democracies, including neighboring countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh, allow dual citizenship, enabling individuals to maintain strong ties to their homeland while living abroad. India’s refusal to offer dual citizenship forces NRIs to choose between their adopted country and India, a decision that often results in India losing valuable, committed individuals. The host advocates for reciprocal dual citizenship with other democratic nations, arguing that it would not only foster deeper political engagement but also strengthen economic and social ties with overseas Indians.
📈 Conclusion: Progressive Reforms for NRIs
In conclusion, the host outlines three key areas where India could better engage with its non-resident citizens: expanding postal balloting rights, experimenting with electronic voting, and eventually allowing dual citizenship. He emphasizes the importance of progressive reforms to enhance political participation among NRIs, which he believes would enrich India’s democracy and strengthen the country’s ties with its diaspora. These reforms would ensure that India fully benefits from the contributions of its overseas citizens, both politically and economically.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡NRI Voting Rights
💡Postal Ballot
💡Electronic Voting
💡Dual Citizenship
💡Returning Officer
💡Assembly Segment
💡EVM (Electronic Voting Machines)
💡Pilot Basis
💡Safeguards
💡Political Participation
Highlights
Indian citizens abroad have voting rights if registered but must return to India to vote.
Other countries, such as Britain, offer flexible provisions for citizens abroad to vote locally.
India's current system makes it impractical for NRIs to vote since they must travel back to India.
There are two classes allowed postal ballots in India: service personnel and government employees involved in elections.
Non-resident Indians should be allowed postal ballots to facilitate voting without returning to India.
Technology could simplify the process by allowing NRIs to download ballot papers locally.
Returning officers currently send postal ballots by mail, but it's slow and inefficient.
Electronic voting could be considered for overseas voters, but greater safeguards are necessary.
India's electronic voting machines (EVMs) are secure, but online voting requires even more security.
Introducing electronic voting for NRIs on a pilot basis would help assess its feasibility.
The political system and public confidence in electronic voting need to grow before it's widely adopted.
Most major democratic countries, including India's neighbors, allow dual citizenship.
India loses valuable, committed citizens by not allowing dual citizenship.
Allowing dual citizenship would enable people of Indian origin to maintain their ties to India while holding foreign citizenship.
Progressively moving towards postal ballots, electronic voting, and dual citizenship could benefit India both politically and economically.
Transcripts
hello everybody
welcome to ask JP
[Music]
let's take the questioner today
Swami from Tampa Florida is in the
software sector hi sir God is for me
now my question is about the NRI voting
right sir
India action commission why can't
provide the Anri voting rights
thank you
thank you very simple straightforward
question
you know under the law and always if
their Indian citizens do have voting
rights
if they are registered as voters in
India but the problem is
you have to come to India to vote most
other countries actually have
extraordinarily flexible provisions
citizens abroad can vote in that country
Britain and other countries actually
provide polling booths or ballots and
they can send them locally some other
countries allow electronic voting for
those people who are abroad
in India even if you're registered as a
voter if you're a non-resident Indian
you have to come to the polling booth in
your place of voter registration and
then work it's impractical
and therefore in reality The Expatriate
Indians overseas Indians even if they're
Indian citizens aren't registered to
vote
they cannot really vote
now there are two things that we can
easily do
the first is there is a system of Postal
balloting in India only two classes of
people can vote through postal ballot
one the service men and women the people
employed in the armed forces of India
Two the government employees involved in
the election duties it may be the
security Personnel the police and the
other Security Forces it may be
employees deployed for the election
conduct
these two classes of people alone are
allowed to vote through postal ballot
now there is no good reason why
non-resident Indians cannot be given the
facility of postal ballot
if you don't have to come to the country
and then vote here at enormous expense
and difficulty which really doesn't
happen
then many people may be inclined to vote
and it's not a difficult thing at all to
give them the right to vote by postal
ballot well the thing is in addition to
the right to vote by postal ballot there
must be a mechanism and in this receptor
technology that's not difficult a
mechanism to download their ballot paper
because typically in case of postal
ballots returning office ascends to
those people entitled to get post School
ballots in advance printed postal ballot
papers
they will reach the person and the
person should Mark them in an
appropriate Manner and then send it to
returning officer before a certain date
now if it's overseas mailing for the
returning officer to send abroad these
papers and for them to register their
vote and then send them back by mail it
becomes cumbersome because typically the
period between the finalization of the
ballot paper
and the polling is no more than two to
three weeks now in two weeks time for
this balance to be printed then sent to
the other countries and then after
voting for the balance to come back to
the country it's unlikely to happen
therefore we can have in these days of
Technology a mechanism by which the
appropriate ballot paper
with appropriate codes and other
Provisions can be downloaded by the
individual abroad
if she belongs to let us say a
particular assembly segment in a
particular Lok Sabha constituency then
that ballot paper pertaining to assembly
or looks of high election can be
downloaded locally there
and once they print it out in the manner
designated by law they can record their
vote
there'll be some requirement of identity
and so on and so forth and then they can
actually mail it to the returning
officer
that I think will make it possible for
many people to access their vote it's a
simple process in my judgment a
non-controversial process
and there can be safe costs to ensure
that there is no Mischief or misuse of
the ballot papers
but we can even think of something
bigger supposing you actually allow
electronic voting on a pilot basis only
to overseas Waters
then perhaps that will be even easier
with adequate safeguards we can provide
electronic voting mechanism
of course there are all kinds of fears
with electronic voting because these are
not discrete machines we're not talking
of online voting unlike our electronic
voting machines even the EVMS electronic
voting machines it took almost a
generation 20-25 years for the political
system and the people to accept it well
they're all perfectly safe
and there is no evidence of any serious
tempering or a Mischief there are
Perpetual doubts
many political leaders whenever they
lose elections they make complaints
sometimes they went to courts but now by
and large political parties and the
people are convinced that these EVMS are
very safe
but these are discrete machines they're
not networked machines it's not online
voting
but if you talk about electronic voting
online for the overseas Indians even
greater safeguards are required
before introducing that in the whole
country I think it will be a good idea
to introduce that after appropriate
legal Provisions for the overseas voters
we can see how it works first on a pilot
base is even there and then later slowly
if it works to our satisfaction and if
everybody is happy and there are no
credible complaints we can extend it to
the rest of the country
I think both these the first one is the
easier option a postal ballot second one
requires greater doing and greater
confidence in the political system and
the public about the Integrity of the
election process we must not take it
lightly
and finally we must even look at another
much bigger thing most countries in the
world
including our neighbors Pakistan and
Bangladesh
almost every single major country
Democratic country in the world allows
dual citizenship
by not allowing dual citizenship we are
actually losing some of our most
committed Indians
if you ask them to make a cruel choice
between a citizenship and a country
where they have made their career in
life where their families are with them
where their children are growing and the
mother country for which they have
enormous love and respect it's not a
very wise thing from India's point of
view
so if Britain France Germany Japan
America other countries they all allow
dual citizenship
it makes no sense that we do not allow
it
we can do it on reciprocal basis you can
do it only for Democratic countries it's
our choice but if you allow dual
citizenship then not only non-western
Indians or Indian citizens but people of
Indian origin
who moved to another country who are
considering or accepting citizenship of
another country for whatever reasons
they can continue to remain as Indian
citizens not only will they play a
Creator in a political process build the
pressure for a reformed polity away from
the money power freebies and divisions
but there will also be an asset for the
country
once you continue to remain a citizen
you can also contribute economically and
socially for India as they say you may
take an Indian out of India but you
cannot take India out of an Indian
we'll be smart as a country to take
advantage of that sentiment that bond
with the mother country
instead of losing them to another
country through citizenship it's better
to allow them to acquire that
citizenship without losing our
citizenship
but these all these three the postal
ballot paper electronic voting and
ultimately dual citizenship I think
India should progressively move in that
direction if you want to get the best
out of our non-resident Indians in order
to improve the nature of politics in
this country
Voir Plus de Vidéos Connexes
Citizenship & Right of Citizens of India
Gravitas: Citizenship Amendment Act Explainer
How Parents can seamlessly transfer assets to their NRI Children
NRI Explains : THE MOST Important things to do as an NRI | NRE vs NRO | Demat | Investments | Taxes
Simulasi Pemungutan dan Penghitungan Suara di TPS Pemilu Tahun 2024 - KPU Kabupaten Sleman
Why Secular Hindus Are The BIGGEST DANGER To Hinduism
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)