Mario, (Elisabeth and all others),
I do know, what is right here! An NRI is an Indian who is residing abroad
and stiil holds on to his/her Indian Passport and Indian Citizenship, and
not interested in changing their Staus Quo, and may or may not be liable for
taxation in India. (this taxation is dependent on other factors)
With reference to Elisabeth's last post on this, an NRI who is 'ORDINARILY
NON RESIDENT' as per 'The Income Tax Act' of India, is one who manages to
reside less than 180 days in India in any one fianancial year; and for that
year only, such an NRI is not liable for I Tax; but should the person exceed
the 180 days stay in India, then that person is liable for tax on all of
his/her income for the financial year, irrespective of where the income may
have been earned. Such a person does not also forfeit his/her right of vote,
as and when they are present at the time of elections, whether tax paying or
not.
However, the Govt of India is trying to make sure that such NRIs are
gauranteed this 'right of vote', and not be subject to manipulation by the
Election Commisiion, thru adverse interference by people like the communal
BJP wallahs and other manipulative people.
This happened in Goa when the BJP and supporters were ruling in Goa; A lot
of Goan voters who were not present at home at the time of electoral lists
review, were struck off the rolls. This included many a Goan working on
Ships and in Gulf Countries. The BJP wallahs deliberately did this shameful
act, since they know that most people who are working on ships and in Gulf
are not Hindu and hindutva inclined! This I feel is the reason behind the
'move' to give 'legal and proper' NRIs the vote, unconditionally.
A PIO is considered to be a person of Indian origin who has taken/ acquired
citizenship of another country. Such persons are by law not entitled to vote
in India, among other things. Only PIOs with citizenship of other countries
are elligible for Dual Citizenship with India. That is why the 'Dual
Citizenship' concept has been introduced, so as to make PIOs feel at home
and invest/ spend in India and not have to apply and pay for visas every
time, etc, at the same time swelling the coffers of the Govt. of India
indirectly. Such PIOs with this type of Dual Citizenship are however not
allowed to vote in India, or hold any Public Post or acquire Agricultural
property, and this is rightly so.
In respect of voting rights for NRIs as descrbed earlier; I think the Govt.
should go one step further, and allow them 'POSTAL VOTING' facility at the
time of elections in India, from their country of temporary residence. This
is allowed and facilitated for Australian citizens anywhere outside the
country. So also was the case recently with Iraqi Citizens residing in
Australia on bridging visas, when they were allowed to vote from Australia
in their Elections back in Iraq!
With regards!
Nasci Caldeira
Melbourne.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mario Goveia <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Elisabeth is right. I am a US citizen but am
considered an NRI in India.
>
--- Elisabeth Carvalho <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> However, a minor correction on the term NRI.
> The term now encompasses all Indians residing
> outside of India, including Indians who have
> acquired citizenship of other countries and second-
> generation PIOs.
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