Bihar’s migrant voters call for ‘alternative’ options

PATNA: Bihar probably is one of those states in the country whose inhabitants continue to move out in search of better jobs and colleges. This, in turn, affects election results to a great extent.

Experts are of the view that youngsters from Bihar shift to bigger cities like Pune, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi for getting themselves admitted to reputed colleges or working with multinationals. Besides, a large number of small workers, belonging to Bihar, move to Punjab, Delhi and Gujarat in order to earn a living for themselves. People from Siwan and Gopalganj also work in Middle Eastern countries like Dubai. All such voters are, therefore, deprived of the opportunity to exercise their franchise during elections. To make matters worse, expensive fares, discomfort, absence of special leaves and lack of the urge to vote keep migrants away from elections.

Pune-based engineer Jyoti Lata Piyoosh, who hails from Muzaffarpur, has urged the government to make provisions for online voting.

“Many of my colleagues belong to Bihar, but none of us is going back to cast votes this time. Our firm won’t grant paid leaves and we cannot spend our hard-earned money on expensive air tickets,” he said.

Shail Mishra, a native of Munger who resides in New Delhi, told this reporter over phone, “Alternative arrangements should be made for migrants so that they can participate in the electoral process without disturbing their routines and spending extra money.”

Meanwhile, a study conducted recently by the students and faculty members of Patna-based A N Sinha Institute of Social Studies (ANSISS) on ‘Voters’ Behaviour’ states that polls, conducted during the festival season in October and November, witness high voting percentage.

According to ANSISS economics department head D M Diwakar, the state assembly polls held in 2015 (October 12 to November 5) coincided with Dussehra, Diwali and Chhath. “The voting percentage was high as a large number of Biharis, who work or study outside, had come home during festivals and also exercised their franchise,” he said.

The female voting percentage during the state assembly elections in 2015 was 60.57% and that of men was 53.14%. In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, which was held from April to May, the turnout of female voters in Bihar was 57.66% and that of male voters was 55.08%.

Citing reasons for high rate of migration from Bihar, Diwakar pointed out, “Lack of job opportunities and poor quality of education in the state push students and workers to leave and settle outside.”

Bihar Foundation (Mumbai chapter) chief Ahsaan Hussain said, “I know a number of Biharis, who have been living in Mumbai for more than 30 years now. In fact, they have got themselves registered as voters here and even cast their votes at the time of elections.”

An election commission official told this newspaper that there was a provision through which residents of a state, who are settled outside, could get themselves enrolled at the place they were residing and eventually vote from there.

“Form 6 available on the website of the Election Commission of India enables voters to get themselves enrolled from their current address. Their names will, however, be deleted from the previous electoral roll,” the official said.