Voting Rights of Indian citizens who living outside of India

Overseas/NRI Electors

• A citizen of India, who is absent from the country owing to employment, education etc., and has not acquired citizenship of any other country are known as Overseas Voters and are eligible to be registered as a voter in the address mentioned in their Indian passport. 

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• Voting Rights of Indian citizens living abroad

  Under Section 20A of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, an Indian citizen who has not acquired citizenship of any foreign country and is living abroad on account of employment, education, etc. is entitled to be enrolled in the electoral roll of the constituency of his/her native place as per the address given in the Passport. For enrolment under this provision, an application has to be made in Form 6A. Guidelines and details in this regard can be seen on the home page of ECI's website under the head "Frequently Asked Questions", the direct link is http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/nri/NRI_2122013.pdf For voting, however, there is no special provision made in the existing law for overseas electors. They can only vote in person at the polling station provided for the electors of the locality within which the address in the Passport falls. Therefore, they have to be present in the country on the day of poll.

   

• You Can enroll as an NRI Voter or Overseas electors if you are

  1. a citizen of India, absent from the country owing to employment, education etc., has not acquired citizenship of any other country and are otherwise eligible to be registered as a voter in the address mentioned in your passport.

  How to enroll as an Overseas/NRI elector

  Getting Started

  • Use this interactive map to find your polling station and the contact details of Election Officers from your area.

  Fill Enrolment Form

  • Fill Form 6A online at https://voterportal.eci.gov.in/ and upload the requisite proofs.
  • Alternatively download Form 6A from ECI website www.eci.gov.in. Fill Form 6A in 2 copies. Forms are also available free of cost in Indian Missions.

  Documents required with Form 6?

  • One recent passport size color photograph affixed in Form 6A.
  • Self attested photocopies of the relevant pages of the passport containing photograph, address in India and all other
  • The page of passport containing the valid visa endorsement

  Form can be submitted in person or by post

  • If the application is sent by post, the photo copy of each of the documents referred to above, should be duly self attested.
  • Alternatively you can fill the form in person at the Electoral Registration Officer / Assistant ERO of the constituency. If application submitted in person before the ERO, the original passport should be produced for verification

  What Happens after the form Submission: the Verification process

  • Booth Level Officer will visit the home address mentioned in your passport and enquire to verify the copies of documents
  • In cases where no relative is available or willing to give declaration for verification of documents, the documents will be sent for verification to the concerned Indian Mission
  • Decision of the ERO will be communicated to you by post on the address and SMS on the mobile number given in Form 6A. Electoral rolls are also on the website of the Chief Electoral Officer
  • Name of overseas elector is included in a separate section for “Overseas Electors” which is the last section of the roll of each polling station area
  • You can use Form-8 for making any correction in electoral roll

  What to do on change of address

  • If the case of shifting of residence ( within the same Constituency or in different Constituency) , fill Form 8 online for download Form 8 download Form 6 and submit to the ERO of the area of your new residence
  • It is not necessary to get address changed in your old EPIC. However, if you want to change address in EPIC, it can be done on payment of Rs. 25 with an application to Electoral Registration Officer of the new constituency. The EPIC with new address will carry the same EPIC no as the old one

  How to Vote

  • An overseas elector is not issued an EPIC & you will be allowed to vote in person at the polling station on production of your original passport.

  Points to remember

• No person can be enrolled on more than one electoral roll i.e. when you enroll as a overseas voter you have to submit a declaration - that you did not get enrolled as a general elector
• If you are registered as a general voter, you should surrender your EPIC along with submission of Form 6A
• When you return to India you can register as general elector at your place of ordinary residence
• Please remember that you have only one vote. Accordingly you should not vote for more than one candidate

above Information taken from: 

1. https://www.indianembassyzagreb.gov.in/page/voting-rights-of-indian-citizens-living-abroad/

2. https://ecisveep.nic.in/voters/overseas-voters/