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Silent Disenfranchisement of Migrant Voters
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Context:
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar has led to the deletion of nearly 3.5 million migrant voters (4.4% of total voters), raising concerns of large-scale disenfranchisement.
Structural Barriers in Electoral System
- Sedentary-Centric Infrastructure: India’s voter registration is still based on proof of residence and in-person verification, which disadvantages migrants living in rented rooms, slums, or temporary sites.
- Migrants’ Vulnerable Position: Migrants face dual exclusion: they cannot register in destination States due to outsider-tag and are being removed from origin rolls due to absence during verification.
- Political Resistance in Host States: Fear of altered electoral outcomes, regionalism, and sub-nationalism discourages host States from facilitating migrant voter inclusion.
Democratic and Social Implications
- Declining Voter Participation: Bihar’s average turnout in the last four Assembly elections was only 53.2%, the lowest among major States, reflecting the widening democratic deficit.
- Triple Burden Identified by Study: A TISS-ECI study (2015) highlighted three barriers for migrants: administrative hurdles, digital illiteracy, and social exclusion.
- Seasonal and Circular Migration Dynamics: Around 7 million circular migrants leave Bihar annually, with 2.7 million returning during festivals, but many will be unable to vote due to mass deletions from electoral rolls.
The Way Forward
- Need for Portable Electoral Identity: India requires a portable and flexible voter identity system, enabling verification across origin and destination States.
- Role of Local Governance and Civil Society: Panchayats and community bodies should conduct migrant-focused outreach and re-registration drives for ensuring democratic participation.
- Replicating Kerala’s Migration Survey Model: High migration States like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh must adopt systematic migration surveys to track and protect voters’ rights.
Practice Question:
“Large-scale disenfranchisement of internal migrants highlights the tension between India’s sedentary electoral infrastructure and its mobile workforce. Discuss the challenges and suggest reforms to ensure inclusive electoral participation.” (250 words)
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