Context: Under India’s election rules, eligible voters can only cast ballots in their constituencies, i.e., those working outside of their state have to return home to vote. As a result, a significant portion of the migrant population is excluded from exercising their voting rights.
Relevance of the Topic: Mains: Issues related to migration.
Migration is referred to as spatial mobility from one geographical unit to another which involves change in residence for a considerable period of time.
State of Migration in India
- In 2021, the overall migration rate in India was 28.9%.
- According to Census 2011, migrants constitute 37% of India’s total population, with women accounting for 68% of the migrant population, a trend reflecting the feminisation of migration.
- Around 85% of migrants are Intra - state migrants.
- A significant portion of migration in India is for marriage.
- Around 10%, migration is for work.This number is significantly higher in certain northern and eastern States such as Bihar.
One of the major challenges associated with Migration in India is low electoral participation of migrants. E.g., In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, voter turnout in Bihar was just 56%, well below the national average of 66%. One of the biggest reasons behind this gap is the inability of migrants to return home to cast their vote.
Reasons behind Low Electoral Participation of Migrants:
- Around 85% of migrants are Inter-state migrants, high cost and long distances prevent return to home constituency.
- Most migrants work in the informal sector, where lack of paid leave and daily-wage dependency hinder their ability to travel and vote.
- Absence of local address proof prevents voter registration at destination.
- Women migrants post-marriage often remain unregistered at new residence.
- Low political visibility leads to exclusion from electoral outreach and campaigns.
This undermines the principle of universal adult franchise (UAF), migrants remain voiceless in shaping policies that affect them.
Mechanisms to increase Migrant Electoral Participation:
- Mechanisms to Facilitate Voting for Intrastate Migrants: Intra-State migrant participation can be improved by enforcing statutory holidays on polling day and arranging special transport, allowing informal workers to vote without wage loss.
Mechanisms to Facilitate Voting for Inter-State Migrants:
- Remote Voting Machines (RVMs): Pilot project by Election Commission of India to allow migrants to vote remotely across constituencies, though currently limited by administrative complexity and political concerns.
- Postal Ballots: Extending postal voting, currently used for armed forces, to migrants. However the major challenge is it requires advance registration and streamlined logistics for ballot dispatch and return.
- Switching Voting Constituencies: Allowing long-term migrants, living in a constituency for at least 6 months to register and vote in their place of work.
- Targeted Voter Registration drives for women who migrate after marriage to ensure enrolment at their new residence.
Each of these options has its advantages and disadvantages. Enabling voting by migrants is a complex task and is made more complex by the heterogeneity of migrants. Therefore, a combined approach using RVMs, postal ballots, constituency switching, and logistical support is essential to ensure inclusive voting for both inter- and intra-State migrant workers.