NRKs can now register to vote in local polls
Trivandrum - Those who include their names in the electoral roll could exercise their franchise by producing the original of the passport.
Published: Sun 6 Sep 2015, 12:00 AM
Last updated: Sun 6 Sep 2015, 11:13 AM
After rejecting the government's plea to facilitate online voting, the Kerala State Election Commission has made arrangements for non-resident Keralites (NRKs) to vote in local body polls by coming to polling booths in person on the day of the election.
The Commission has made provision for the NRKs to include their names in the electoral rolls online so that they can exercise franchise in the polls to the three-tier local bodies to be held in October or November. The election schedule is expected to be announced next week after consultation with all parties. The NRKs can register their names in the voters' list of their respective gram panchayat, municipality or corporation as per the addresses in their passports by filling Form 4A given in the commission website /www.lsgelection.kerala.gov.in/>www.lsgelection.kerala.gov.in. A printout of the form should be submitted either in person or by post to the Election Registration Officer concerned in various local bodies along with a passport size photo, self-attested copies of passport and visa.
Those who include their names in the electoral roll could exercise their franchise by producing the original of the passport.
All NRKs who are 18 years or older by January 1, 2015, and who do not hold any citizenship other than Indian are eligible to register their names in the electoral rolls.
The registration of the names of NRKs in the electoral rolls of local bodies followed the amendments made by the government in the acts related to panchayats and municipalities during the previous session of the legislative Assembly ensuring voting rights for them.
Though similar facility for NRIs to register their names in the electoral rolls for the Lok Sabha and assembly elections was provided, only about 11,000 NRKs had registered their names. Others did not show interest in the exercise as they had to visit the country to cast votes.
The Supreme Court had directed the Election Commission to devise methods for NRIs to vote from their foreign locations after some NRIs, including a Keralite doctor in the UAE, challenged this.
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