People For Loksatta at Pravas Bharatiya Divas presenting NRI Voting Rights petitions

"People For Loksatta" representatives Mrs. Subhashini Atluri and Ms. Padma Bhapatiraju attended the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2011 and presented petition for absentee voting rights for NRIs.

Sub: Absentee Voting Facility for Indians Living Abroad (NRIs)

We, the citizens of India residing abroad appreciates your commitment for providing voting rights NRI’s through the recent The Representation of People’s Bill (Amendment)-2010. However, the Act requires that NRI’s to be physically present at the time of voting. We believe that this clause would defeat the very spirit of the Act for the following reasons:

There are around 1.5 crore Indians living outside India and it is practically impossible to have 1.5 crore Indians travel to India at the same time. Usually elections/nomination dates are announced 45 days in advance which is a very short duration to travel.

Here is an example of Indians travelling to India ~ 10 lakhs in USA (rough estimates)

1. Students: 2 lakhs
2. H1-B holders : Considering minimum from the last 5 years and average of 3 lakhs will be there (60,000*5=3 Lakhs)
3. Green cards holders: will be an average of 5 lakhs

For a total of 10 Lakh People:

1. It takes at least 100 days for the all the passengers to travel to India for voting if all the flights are fully booked.
2. A person who came before the voting day (99th day) will have to wait until the people who came before the 98 days go back So it is not easy for him to go back until people came before him go back. Obviously one has to wait and he is losing the valuable time and money.
3. The cost estimation for 10 lakh people travelling to India and employment loss is estimated approx at a cost of 500 crores of rupees. Please imagine for 1.5 crores of Indians.

The given NRI’s Voting Right is NEGATED without resources in place.

The available options for Absentee voting:

1. Internet Voting

NRIs would use internet to get ballot paper and submit online. This would be the best option if technology permits.

2. Combination of Internet and Postal Ballot

NRI’s can download the ballot paper online (from election commission website) and post the ballot to the address indicated on the ballot paper with necessary paper work.

Benefits:

1. Very cost effective.
2. The available technology fits well into this model.
3. The person himself is exercising his franchise.
4. The time frame perfectly suits to posting the ballot paper back.

On behalf of Non Resident Indians, we approach you with great hope and whole heartedly believe that you will take up this matter with utmost urgency.

Sincerely,Global NRI Voting Rights Campaign Team http://www.NRIVotingRights.info People for Lok Satta http://www.PeopleForLokSatta.org