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No, there is no provision in India for acquiring dual citizenship. You have to renounce your citizenship, and surrender your Indian Passport,(( Section 9, Citizenship Act, 1955)) before taking another country’s citizenship, and failure to do so is an offence. For example, you cannot hold an Indian Passport and an American passport at the same time.
Theme: Government & Elections
What do I do if I cannot vote via the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballots as a service voter?
The Returning Officer of your home constituency will send you and your wife postal ballots via Indian Postal Service. You can even ask the Returning Officer to have the postal ballot delivered to you personally. If the postal ballot does not reach you and is returned to the Returning Officer as undelivered, he will send it to you again by post.(( ETPBS & Service Voter, Election Commission of India, available at https://eci.gov.in/divisions-of-eci/it-applications-etpbs-servicevoter/))
If I don’t live in my home-town, how can I vote? If I live in a rented house can I vote?
If you are living in a rented house, then get the following documents:
- Owners Identity Card that has their Signature (Passport, Aadhar Card, Driving License)
- Electricity Bill of the Rented House you are staying in which has the owners address.
- Letter from the owner stating that you are residing in his/her house and that you wish to obtain a voter ID Card to vote in the place of residence.
Can I vote overseas or remotely if I am an NRI?
No, you must be present in India to vote. You can register yourself as an NRI voter but to cast your vote, you must be present in the constituency of the address mentioned in your passport. There is a Bill pending in the Parliament, that if passed, will allow an NRI to vote through a proxy.
Can I vote together with my friends?
No. You cannot vote together with your friends. Only one person is allowed inside the polling station at a time and there is a strict procedure followed so that secrecy is maintained throughout.
Can I tell people who I voted for?
When you cast your vote, it is a secret ballot. Which means that no one can force you to tell them who you voted for. However, you can tell people who you voted for if you wish to do so. You won’t be punished for the same.
What are opinion polls? Are they real time votes?
Opinion polls, also known as exit polls, are not real results of the elections. Various organisations and media agencies conduct opinion polls by different methods such as surveys to predict what the outcome of the elections might be. The Press Council of India has issued guidelines on how these surveys should be conducted.
Is there a punishment for not voting?
It is not compulsory for you to cast your vote, hence there won’t be any consequences if you don’t vote. But it is advisable to do so as voting is the exercise of your democratic duty in selecting the government.
Can a candidate vote?
Yes, a candidate can vote as he is registered as a voter in the electoral roll.
Is the media allowed inside the hall where the votes are being counted?
Yes, the media is allowed limited entry into the counting halls to cover the counting of ballots, but only after they have taken prior permission from the Election Commission. Only those media personnel who are referred by the Press Information Bureau and Directorates of Information and Public Relations of States are given this permission.