Indian expats in UAE happy but cautious on e-voting

• The system is expected to be implemented within eight weeks, fulfilling a long-pending demand of overseas Indians. 

Dubai: Following the directive of the Supreme Court in India to the central government to implement e-voting rights for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), expats in Dubai seem to have mixed feelings about this move (click here to read report).

While most NRIs seem relieved by the convenience that comes with e-voting, others feel the transmission of votes electronically might not be as safe.

Expected to be implemented within eight weeks, fulfilling a long-pending demand of overseas Indians, including Abu Dhabi-based Dr Shamsheer V.P. (in pic, right), the government agreed to accept a proposal of e-votes as the most feasible method.“There are many Indians residing in the Gulf region who still hold Indian passports. Most of us feel the need to exercise our right to vote. It is the only strength that our democracy gives us. There should be transparency in carrying out this new system,” said GM Bajpai of GMB Insurance Consultants.

E-postal ballot was one of the two methods of voting proposed by the Election Commission of India during the hearings. It will see election officials sending postal ballot paper by email to registered NRI voters, who will be able to access the ballot paper through a password allotted to them during the registration process.

After downloading the ballot paper, the voter can cast the vote and send it back to the election officials by post or courier along with an attested declaration.

“It is a good idea to introduce e-voting to NRIs. I think this will lead to more Indian expats in UAE to vote, including me,” said Dinesh Narayan, an auditor based in Dubai.

Sunil Bhatia, Managing Director of E4 Entertainment, said: “It is an excellent move. Everything today is moving electronically, so why not voting too. Indians are political savvy and e-voting will make it convenient. We have been waiting for this move.”

Sounding a cautious note on the e-voting system, Rohit Gupta, a musician at Raaga Factory said: “I’m not updated with what is happening in India’s political scene. All I know is only because of what the media relays. As NRIs in the UAE, we only know bits of the political scenario in India, which would lead many of us to hold back from voting. It is an interesting chance for NRIs, but I’m not yet sure if I would vote.”

On the same note, Urvashi Singh Thakur, a photographer in Dubai, said: “On one hand I’m sure there will be people who have been waiting to vote from overseas, on the other hand there are people like me who have very scarce information about the happenings in India. I moved out of India 10 years ago and what goes on in the country has a very little influence on me. I don’t think I would vote.”

With a split opinion on the new e-voting system, the NRIs' response will be clear only once the service is in place.

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