Muscat, Feb 5 - The Indian Embassy in Muscat has urged Indian nationals in the Sultanate to register for taking part in the general elections. Elections in India are expected to be held in April and May. As of December 28, there were 660,736 Indian expats in Oman. According to sources, non-resident Indians (NRIs) will not be able to vote from abroad. But the Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill 2017 will enable NRIs to vote through a proxy in India. “Once the Bill is enacted into law, an NRI can choose an adult relative/friend registered in his/her constituency and ask him/her to cast the vote along with his/her own.” The Bill has been passed in the Lower House of Parliament and awaiting approval in the Upper House.
In order to be eligible to take part in the election, the overseas elector should be a citizen of India and should be absent from the country owing to employment or education, among others. The voter should not have acquired citizenship of any other country. He/she should be eligible to be registered as voter with the address mentioned in the passport. Voter should have attained the age of 18 years on the qualifying date: January 1 of the year of revision of electoral roll. He should not be disqualified to be enrolled as an elector. Applicant should have to submit a declaration that he/she is not already enrolled as a voter.
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