Registration of Overseas Electors

Parliament has approved voting rights for non-resident Indians in elections with the Lok Sabha adopting the Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill, 2010. The new law will allow an Indian citizen residing abroad to enrol in voter’s list and exercise his franchise even if he or she remained away from place of residence in India for more than six months owing to employment, education or otherwise. However, the person will be able to exercise the franchise only if he or she is present in the constituency on the polling day.

Notifications to this effect have been issued by various States / Union Territory and Application form 6A for registration is available on the website of Election Commission, State Election Commission as well as Embassy of India, Doha. Duly filled in application forms along with self attested copies of passports should be submitted directly to the respective Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) of the constituency within which the place of residence of the applicant falls as per address given in the passport. Particulars and postal address of the ERO's are available on the website of Election Commission of India (www.eci.nic.in) and respective State Election Office websites.

On receipt of application by post by ERO, the verification of self attested documents will be done by Booth level officers, who will visit home address mentioned in the passport. They will ask the relatives to verify the self attested documents and give a declaration to this effect. If the relatives are not available or not willing to verify or ERO is not satisfied with the verification, the documents will be sent for verification to the concerned Embassy in the foreign country where the applicant resides. Identification of the overseas electors shall be done on the basis of their passport at the time of casting of votes at polling stations.