Muscat: Indian Embassy in Muscat has urged the nationals in the Sultanate to register and take part in the voting process for Indian general elections.
It may be noted that the general elections in India are expected to be held in April and May this year and as of December 28, there are 660,736 Indian expatriates residing in the sultanate.
According to sources, NRIs even with the new law pending before the parliament will be not eligible to vote from abroad as it is the case with some countries.
But is the Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill 2017 in the coming days, NRIs would be able to vote through a proxy in India.
“Once enacted into law, the NRI can choose an adult relative or friend who is registered in your constituency and ask him/her to cast your vote along with his/her own.”
The bill has been passed in the lower house of parliament and waiting for approval and is awaiting a nod in the lower house.
According to details, to be eligible for taking part in elections, the overseas elector should be a citizen of India, absent from the country owing to employment and education among others.
The voter should not acquired citizenship of any other country and is otherwise eligible to be registered as a voter in the address mentioned in the passport.
The voter has attained the age of 18 years on the qualifying date - January 1 of the year of revision of electoral roll, and is not disqualified to be enrolled as an elector.
He should be not disqualified to be enrolled as an elector if of unsound mind and declared so by a competent court temporarily disqualified from voting under any law relating to corrupt practices and other election offence.
The applicant should have to submit a declaration that he/she is not already enrolled as a general voter.
NRI voters will have to fill online form 6A with instructions regarding enrolment posted on the website eci.gov.in.
The voters can also get the 6A from the Indian embassy for any clarifications can contact Hema John on 24684548 or through email cons.muscat@mea.gov.in.
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