Achi news desk-
As the Lok Sabha elections approach, an urgent debate has emerged, shedding light on the urgent need for an alternative voting system for electors residing outside the state of Assam. This discussion highlights the financial burden placed on citizens who must plan expensive round trips just to vote, which poses a significant obstacle to their democratic participation.
Also read: Editorial | Not everyone can vote
This component is the difficulty they face in reconciling their demands in the workplace with the election schedule in their constituencies. The end result is the marginalization of a large part of the population from the democratic exercise.
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In recent debates, citizens expressed their concerns, and emphasized the practical difficulties they face in exercising their basic right to vote. One of them, Parna Sharma, expressed her frustration and stated, "As a professional living outside Assam, it is disheartening to see the obstacles preventing me from participating in the democratic process. The financial burden of traveling back and forth for one vote is simply unsustainable."
Furthermore, the issue goes beyond the financial aspect, as expatriates often face logistical challenges in planning their travel plans within their professional and personal commitments.
Another voter, Neelam Phoken, highlighted this dilemma, stating, "The current voting system fails to cater to the diverse needs of citizens living outside Assam. It is time for the policy makers to examine alternative methods that guarantee equal participation for all those with the right to vote."
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has postal ballot voting provisions for certain eligible electors. Mail-in ballots, also known as postal ballots, allow registered voters to vote by mail instead of physically going to the polls.
This system serves as a convenient alternative for people who cannot vote in person due to various circumstances, such as being away from their home district, dealing with a disability or performing essential services on election day. Eligible voters who can choose to vote by mail include:
–Service pointers: Members of the armed forces, paramilitary forces and government employees deployed on electoral duties away from their constituencies.
–Absentee voters: People who cannot vote in person for reasons such as work commitments, illness or disability.
–Electors in electoral positions: Government officials and polling staff assigned duties at polling stations that were not their own.
–Electors in preventive detention: People arrested under preventive detention orders during the election period.
–Essential services covering polling day activities: Communicators with letters of authorization from the European Union and those involved in essential services such as metros, railways and healthcare have the option of voting by postal ballot in the Lok Sabha and state assembly polls.
To apply for postal voting, voters must apply in Form 12D to the RO of their constituencies. The request usually requires personal details, identification details of the voter and the reason for requesting a vote by mail. The RO verifies eligibility and issues the postal ballot if the criteria are met.
For service voters, the RO sends the postal ballot through the Registrar’s Office, directly or through the Ministry of External Affairs for service voters serving outside India.
For senior citizens, a team of two poll officials, a videographer and security personnel will visit the voter’s residence to facilitate this process. Voters will receive information about the date and time of the officials’ visit via SMS.
However, those who are not included in this category of voters do not have the privilege of voting in the said method. The call for reform has gained momentum as citizens advocate for solutions that favor inclusion and accessibility in the electoral process.
Dhunusmita Mahanta, a concerned voter, commented, "It is imperative that the authorities recognize the hurdles faced by voters outside Assam and take proactive steps to address them. Every citizen deserves the opportunity to vote without unnecessary difficulties."
“The authorities can design an application that leads to the portal on the specific days of voting for the state. This application must be accessible from every corner of the country/world. Moreover, the application can also be an aid to creating employment,” she added.
Alfred Hussain, a resident of Ganeshguri, posted in Noida shared, “To vote in my hometown I have to bear an expenditure of around Rs. 19-20,000 based on availability of flight tickets, taxis etc. That sums up my round trip. Besides, The voting dates do not match throughout the country, which raises the issue of holidays even more. I believe that there should be some kind of ‘seva kendra’ in every country that helps in the election process. This will further increase the voting percentages and the process of electing the representative will be fruitful.”
Moreover, due to more employment opportunities, a number of young people from Assam prefer to work in other states. However, the professions they are associated with (security guards, assistants, etc.) do not pay enough for them to consider traveling home just to vote. There is a history of suffragists that has yet to be written in ink.
Similarly, Assamese people working in other parts of the North East region share a common belief that one vote costs them a hefty sum of money. Ananta Mahanta who currently lives in Itanagar said, “I can manage the expenses of traveling back and forth to vote, but the journey is too tiring. We have to resume our work life again immediately after the polls. But, when we visit our homes we extend our stay to spend with our family and it hurts the budget even more.”
“After digitization, the public is aware of the online virtual platform. It’s time to utilize it for a cause that includes a factor of nation building. And voting is one essential tool. If people don’t worry about the security issues associated with online money transactions then why can’t there be a well-constructed online voting tool that can actually to change the election scenario,” he added.
It is worth noting that Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) were not allowed to vote before 2010. Today NRIs or Overseas Indians have the opportunity to register as voters in India, after an amendment to Section 20A of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
The Election Commission of India explains that an NRI residing abroad can be included in the Electoral Roll of India.
Overseas electors, as mentioned by the ECI, are registered in a dedicated section called ‘Overseas Elector’ at the end of the Electoral Book of their Indian domicile, as per passport details.
To register as a voter, an NRI must submit Form 6A to the Electoral Registration Officer/Assistant Electoral Registration Officer of the relevant constituency based on his Indian residential address in the passport.
While these decisions have helped NRIs exercise their voting rights, the main debate is whether others can shell out huge sums of money to vote.
As the debate intensifies, the stakeholders are asked to cooperate in developing effective solutions that uphold the principles of democracy and ensure equal participation of all citizens in the election process.
With the Lok Sabha elections on the horizon, the urgency to address these challenges has never been more urgent, marking a pivotal moment in India’s democratic journey
