The world is watching as the world’s largest democracy heads to the polls this month.
While India waits for the third phase of its seven-stage general election, it is revealed that 92 per cent of overseas voters who have registered to vote come from Kerala, the Southern state of India.
Among the 2.5 million people from this small state is working in various parts of the world, a surprisingly large number of them are boarding flights home solely to vote.
Unlike Australia voting is not made mandatory in India. Still, there are people from Australia who board their flights only to cast their votes.
Finny Mathew from Melbourne is one such voter who has boarded a flight to India with the sole purpose of voting for the country’s next prime minister.
“Holding tight my personal ideology, I am flying to cast my vote. As a responsible citizen of India, I believe it is my obligation to make sure my country goes to safe hands,” he tells SBS Malayalam.
Finny said that around 150 of his friends are joining him from the UAE and UK to vote.
“I belong to the Pathanamathitta constituency, which is considered as a crucial electorate witnessing a close fight. I don’t want to miss my voting right.
Source: AAP
"As a patriotic citizen, I believe it is important to cast one’s vote. Win or lose is secondary. But I consider playing my part in this major election as my duty.”
This southern state will go to the polls on April 23. Finny, who will fly back on the very next day of the election, said that he will never become an Australia citizen and that he will live and die as an Indian citizen.
“I was very particular that my child should be an Indian citizen too. Hence sacrificing the baby bonus of $5000, we went back to India for my wife’s delivery. I value the Indian passport that much,” Finny said.
There are also reports that overseas voters from Gulf countries are flying home on chartered flights.
As per the 2016 census, the Australian Bureau of Statistics has revealed that around 50,000 Keralites live in Australia. Among them, 26,062 hold Australian citizenship.
Also among the 0.6 million Indian-origin people living in Australia, 0.35 million are Australian citizens.
However, Indian-origin people who hold Australian citizenship do not have the right to vote in India.
Out of India’s total 'Non-Resident of India (NRI)' population which accounts for 13 million people, the number of total Indian overseas electors is 71,735. As of January 30, around 66,584 or 92 per cent of those overseas electors registered in the country hail from the small state of Kerala.
Source: Ahmed Aqtai
According to 2014 reports, the number of electors from Kerala was 12,653. After five years the number has increased five-fold to 66,584.
Apart from this, there is also an interesting aspect to point out. Of this huge figure, 3,729 are women.
The number would have gone up further if district authorities had conducted a timely verification of the expats who have registered online. Failure to perform this from their side has resulted in the reduction of numbers, says K Anwar Naha, the President of Dubai unit of the Kerala Muslim Cultural Center, to the Times of India.
High enthusiasm and fascination with politics may be reasons motivating this large majority of Non-resident Keralites (NRK) to fly home to cast their votes in the upcoming election.
Although there was speculation that NRIs can cast their votes online, it is confirmed by the Election Commission that India does not support e-voting. However overseas voters can fly back to India and cast their votes in person at the polling booths belonging to their electorates.
The result of the election, which will be held in seven phases, will be announced on May 23.
