By IANS with inputs from TCN News:
New Delhi, Aug 1: The Election Commission on Wednesday made it clear that those who have been excluded from the draft National Register of Citizens in Assam can vote if they qualify under electoral laws even if the NRC is not finalized before the Lok Sabha polls next year.
“Why not. Suppose I am not in NRC but if I fulfil the criteria under the Representation of People Act — that is I am a citizen of India, 18 years of age and ordinarily resident of that area — I can be a voter,” Chief Election Commission O.P. Rawat told the media.
He said the voter enrolment process is not connected to the NRC although the poll panel was closely coordinating in Assam to ensure that no one is left out and eligible persons are included in the electoral roll for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
“Election Commission (EC) voter enrolment exercise is independent of NRC though they are working in synchronization. The final electoral roll to be published on January 4, 2019, will be used for general elections,” Rawat said.
“The Election Commission of India with its objective of ‘no voter to be left behind’ has asked Chief Electoral Officer in Assam to coordinate closely with state coordinator NRC so as to ensure that all eligible persons are included in electoral roll. This way a final electoral roll will be published on April 1, 2019 to be used for general elections 2019.”
He said it was a draft NRC and in the next one month all these 40 lakh individuals, who have not been included, will be informed about the reasons for their exclusion.
Rawat was speaking amid apprehensions that those who have been dropped out of the NRC list would not be eligible to vote.
This is a new angle which could mean that those in the category D of NRC can vote if fulfil the criteria under the Representation of People Act are citizens of India. The debate of the political parties that wanted to exclude the 40 lakhs because they would not vote for them anyway Vs those political parties who want to include them because they can bank on their votes will perhaps take a new turn with sudden statement by the Chief Election Commission.