Image credit: SWEEP
Indians are everywhere... no matter in which country, region, post, etc. The world respects the talent of Indians more than India and is ready to pay them a bit more than they get in India.

The jobs overseas attract skilled Indians and they join them too (who will reject the offer of the same work you do in India, to do in USA or UK or UAE or in any other country... I will reject it, what about you?)

The high salaries and a quality lifestyle is the main reason which produces more and more NRIs and is a huge setback for India as it dosen't get the benefit of the skilled harvest in which it invested...

But that's not the topic for today, will discuss it later on... today I am here to answer the question that "how NRIs can vote?"

➥E-VOTING: A "FAKE NEWS"

First of all, I want to clear the air that the EC [Election Commission] offers no such facility to the NRIs.

There are many fake news circulating in the social media that NRIs can cast their vote through E-Voting but in today's modern too, E-Voting is just a myth.

But thanks to the EC, because in this 2019-General Elections it has enabled two ways for NRIs to cast their vote:
  1. Proxy voting [only for armed force and government personnel]
  2. Postal Ballots [for electors subject to preventive detention, armed force personnel, election duty people, ]
The proxy voting includes authorisation of a permanent Indian resident to cast vote on the behalf of the NRI. The facility is only available for the wives [living in India] of NRI husbands and not for the husbands [living in India] of NRI wives.

Image credit: SWEEP

 ➥BUT WHAT FOR A GENERAL NRI?

So for a general NRI, it's possible to cast her/his vote only by making a personal visit to the polling booth.

But there's a ray of hope too... The EC is in talks by taking opinions from various political parties to make "Postal ballots" available to all the NRIs but its implementation seems farfetched.

So, for now, a passport-holding NRI physically present in the country can only cast her/his vote. However, their voting process is different than Indian citizens.

Image credit: SWEEP

 ➥SO WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS:

So, first of all, they will be mentioned in the electoral roll at the address as in their passport. She/He can locate the polling booth here -> Where's my polling booth?

And to be notified she/he has to fill form 6A online at www.nvsp.in or offline by downloading it [download form 6A] or get it from Indian Missions.

Note that the form has to be filled in two copies

➥REQUIREMENTS

So while filling the form the applier has to give the recent passport size photo, photocopies of passport having a photo, Indian address, etc and a passport page having valid visa endorsement.

It can be submitted along with the attachments [mentioned above] via post or filled to ERO/assistant ERO of the local constituency. [ERO - Electoral Registration Officer].

➥VERIFICATION:

The Verification is a must... officers from the local booth will visit on the address mentioned in the form to verify the document attachments.

And the final decision will be of ERO which will reach you via SMS on the number mentioned in the form. 

On the voting day, NRIs name will be listed in the last section dubbed as "Overseas Electors" of the electoral roll and she/he will be allowed to cast her/his vote only by taking the original Passport as a proof in consideration. 

But once she/he returns India, must have to register as a general voter in order to obtain the EPIC card.