Goanet next meets in Goa: January 7, 4 pm (meeting point: Kala Academy canteen). Goanet founder Herman Carneiro will be there. See you there! ------------------------------
MARGAO, DEC 29 (From Guilherme Almeida) Thousands of seafarers and other non-resident Indians can heave a sigh of relief as the Election Commission of India has ruled that they are eligible to enroll their names in the electoral list and cast their vote in the elections. In a brief communique sent by ECI Secretary, S K Kaura to the Chief Electoral Office, Goa, the Election Commission clarified that NRIs are eligible for enrolment in the electoral list as per sub-section (1A) of Section 20 of the Representation of the Peoples Act, 1950. The communique was faxed to the Chief Electoral Office on December 17, six days after Chief Election Commissioner, J M Lyngdoh visited the State to review the progress of the Election Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) programme. Herald understands that the ECI’s clarification on the sensitive issue has been circulated to the Collectors of both the districts for guidance and appropriate action by the taluka asssitant electoral registration officers. Doubts over the eligibility of NRIs right to vote in the elections came to the fore after the house-to-house survey undertaken by the election officials during the EPIC programme found that thousands of seafarers and others employed abroad did not possess the photo-identity cards. In Salcete itself, around 6425 such voters were found residing abroad and had not obtained the photo-identity cards. Given the sensitivity of the issue and the representations received from the political parties, the Chief Electoral Officer, Goa later on November 20 decided to seek clarifications from the ECI. Meanwhile, the axe is likely to fall on hundreds of voters — other than the NRIs, who are treated as having shifted their place of residence. These voters were not found at their place of residence during the EPIC programme survey. Election officials here have pointed out that the ECI has held that voters who have shifted their place of residence are not covered by the term “Ordinary Residents” in terms of Section 20 of the Representation of People Act, 1950, so long as they are out of the country for business or employment and should be treated as moved out of place. “We will shortly undertake the exercise to strike off names of shifted voters from the electoral list”, informed an election official attached to Salcete taluka. During the EPIC survey, around 9960 voters from Salcete taluka were not found at their place of residence. They were later issued notices to show cause why their names should not be deleted from the electoral list under Rule 21A of the Registration Electors Rules. ########################################################################## # Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts # # More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################
