BHUBANESWAR: A significant percentage of Odia population living abroad may not vote this time too. Because, the logistics for doing so still does not work out for them.
Only 196 Odias living in other countries have enrolled as overseas/NRI voters for this Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in the state. Gender wise, 156 of them are male and 40 female. According to the World Odisha Society (WOS), which is the highest and apex organisation of the Odia diaspora worldwide, there are over a million Odias residing in countries outside India. And an average of 60 per cent of this population is eligible to vote. Official reports from the chief electoral officer state that the overseas/NRI electors had not participated in the 2019 and 2014 elections in Odisha.
As per the Election Commission of India (ECI) guidelines, an overseas elector is not issued an EPIC and they are allowed to vote in person at the polling station on production of their original passport. This, members of the Odia diaspora said, is the biggest impediment for Odias living abroad.
A native of Sambalpur Sudhashree Das, who currently resides in Dubai, said the norms of physical voting have been the biggest impediment for Odias living abroad. “The lack of provisions for remote or overseas voting in the state’s electoral system is the roadblock. Odisha, like many other states, does not have a mechanism in place for expatriates to cast their votes from abroad. This means that unless we are physically present during the voting period, we cannot vote,” she explained.
An overseas voter from Bhubaneswar, Madhumita Sahoo, who resides in London, said only a limited number of people whose travel plans to Odisha coincide with the voting period can enrol to vote. “Otherwise, travelling back to your state just to vote is an expensive affair,” she said. CEO officials said since most of the Odias living abroad renounce Indian citizenship, they cannot be forced to vote. “As per the existing provisions, after enrolling, they can show their passports at polling booths to vote,” said a higher official.
Although in 2020, the ECI proposed to the Law Ministry to extend the facility of postal ballots to eligible NRIs by amending the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, Government of India did not take a call on it.