Relevance
- GS Paper 2: Electoral reforms, Rights of Migrant Employees
Context
- In states like Bihar, with excessive out-migration, voter turnout stays low because of migrant disenfranchisement.
- Instance: Bihar’s turnout in 2024 LS elections was 56%, beneath the nationwide common (66%).
Migration Developments in India
- Migration fee (2021): 28.9%
- Majority for marriage (particularly girls)
- ~10% migrate for work, greater in northern & jap states
- 85% are intra-State migrants, relaxation inter-State
- Migrants, particularly within the casual sector, are successfully disenfranchised.
Challenges for Migrant Voting
- Lack of everlasting deal with proof
- Job insecurity prevents journey to native place throughout elections
- No institutional mechanism but to allow their voting
- Election Fee of India (ECI) has made proposals, however no implementation but
Proposed Options
- For Intra-State Migrants
- Brief-distance journey to native constituency
- Implement polling day vacation and supply particular transport companies
- For Inter-State Migrants
- Distant Digital Voting Machines (RVMs):
- Pilot challenge by ECI (2023)
- Can cater to 72 constituencies per machine
- Confronted objections from political events (identification, MCC, logistics)
- Postal Ballots:
- Already utilized by armed forces
- Requires advance registration
- Much less advanced than RVMs, however nonetheless wants coordination
- Switching Voting Constituency:
- For long-term migrants (6+ months)
- Encourages native political integration
- Could face resistance from native residents
- Girls Migrants (post-marriage):
- Particular enrolment drives to incorporate them in new native rolls
Method Ahead: A Blended Mannequin
- Mixture of RVMs, postal ballots, and re-registration
- Tailor-made to migrant sort and mobility
- Ensures larger inclusion and strengthens democratic participation
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