NRI Kannadigas seek postal voting and polling booths at embassies for Karnataka assembly polls
Bengaluru: Kannadigas living overseas are seeking the right to vote through postal ballots or polling booths at their respective embassies, ahead of the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections. Approximately five lakh non-resident Indians (NRIs) from Karnataka are mostly unable to exercise their franchise as they are unable to travel to their hometowns to cast their votes.
This time, Kannadigas residing in countries such as Italy, England, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, among others, have approached the Election Commission of India and their respective embassy or Consulate General of India’s (CGI) offices seeking permission to vote through postal ballots or booths at their embassies.
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The Sagarottara Kannadigaru association, registered in the UK to represent overseas Kannadigas worldwide, has filed a public interest litigation in the Karnataka high court, where a hearing is scheduled for May 2. Ravi Mahadev, the association's joint secretary, told the Times of India that he came to Mysuru to vote on May 10. He stated that the cost of visiting India for elections is high, and neither the ECI nor the government encourages NRIs to vote. Although there is a provision to register as an overseas Kannadiga in Form-6A, it does not provide postal voting or booths in the countries where NRIs work.
Association president Chandrashekhar Lingadalli, who has come to Banahatti, his hometown in Bagalkot, from Dubai, said non-resident Kannadigas have started a campaign to submit memorandums to their respective embassies. The number of eligible NRI Kannadigas are of three types - working, dependents, and students. When countries like Algeria, the Philippines, Italy, and Romania allow their citizens to vote by setting up polling booths at their embassies, why is it not possible for about 60 lakh NRIs, he asked.
Hemegowda Rudrappa has submitted a memorandum to CGI in Italy, while Ravi Mahadeva has submitted a memorandum to the chief electoral officer, Karnataka, in Bengaluru. The campaign highlights the difficulties faced by NRIs in travelling to India to vote, particularly during a pandemic. They argue that the establishment of postal voting or polling booths at embassies is a practical solution that will allow NRIs to exercise their democratic rights without having to incur significant costs.
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RR beat RCB by six wickets in IPL
Guwahati (PTI): Blistering fifties by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Dhruv Jurel powered Rajasthan Royals to a six-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their IPL match here on Friday.
Sent in to bat, RCB rode on a fighting half-century by skipper Rajat Patidar (63) to post 201 for 8.
Virat Kohli (32), Romario Shepherd (22) and Venkatesh Iyer (29) also chipped in with useful contributions.
In reply, Sooryavanshi (78 off 26 balls) and Dhruv Jurel (81 not out off 43 balls) shared a 37-ball 108-run partnership for the second wicket to set the platform. Krunal Pandya (2/30) tried to bring them back with back-to-back wickets.
But Jurel, in the company of Ravindra Jadeja (24), completed the task with another 68-run stand, with two overs to spare.
For RR, Jofra Archer (2/33), Ravi Bishnoi (2/32) and Brijesh Sharma (2/37) took two wickets.
Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 201 for 8 in 20 overs (Rajat Patidar 63; Jofra Archer 2/33, Ravi Bishnoi 2/32, Brijesh Sharma 2/37).
Rajasthan Royals: 202 for 4 in 18 overs (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 78, Dhruv Jurel 80 not out; Krunal Pandya 2/30, Josh Hazlewood 2/44).
