Out of 24,000 members, only 285 eligible to vote in NRI Sabha poll

Out of 24,000 members, only 285 eligible to vote in NRI Sabha poll
Jalandhar: The excitement around the elections for the post of president of the NRI Sabha Punjab has died down all of a sudden. The reason being that the members have been told that all those who could not get their photo ID cards renewed in the last five years will not be allowed to cast votes. Polling is scheduled for January 5.

Even though there are 24,000 members of the sabha, only about a 100 will be able to vote as just about 25 members could get their cards renewed and 260 fresh members were enrolled in the last five years. Of the nearly 285 eligible members, just about a 100-125 people are expected to be in their hometown and available to cast the votes.

The disappointed members of the sabha today even met Punjab NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Dhaliwal and apprised him of the new directive being imposed on them. The members led by one of the three contestants Jasvir Singh Gill said that they were told that since the provision had been made a part of the sabha bylaws, it would have to be followed.

Likewise, another contestant Kamaljit Singh Hayre had yesterday given a written submission to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who is the patron of the sabha, demanding that laxity be given with regards to the new provision since all members are lifetime members and that it will be a huge disappointment for some of them who have especially flown down to Jalandhar to cast the vote.

There are three contestants for the post, including two past presidents Jasvir S Gill and Kamaljit Hayre, and a first-time woman contestant Parvinder Kaur Banga. “Nearly 1,625 NRIs had cast their votes in 2013 when I had last become the president. This time it shall be the lowest-ever turn out,” said Gill. He did not rule out a chance of electing president by unanimity, saying that such an attempt could still be made. Hayre has outrightly demanded that the new provision be removed.

“This amendment in the bylaws is still in controversy as the NRIs had earlier given a representation to the Punjab CM seeking its withdrawal. Since it was not implemented when the elections were last held on March 7, 2020, it can be set aside even this time for a larger participation of NRI voters.

The last NRI president Kirpal S Sahota could not return to India after elections because of Covid restrictions and the sabha did not have practically any head since 2015 and hence no work like renewal of cards could be done in the last 8-9 years,” he has stated in his submission.

Commissioner, Jalandhar Division-cum-Chairperson of the NRI Sabha Gurpreet Sapra said that, “We had given a date by which the members were required to get their cards renewed to be able to exercise their right to vote. I do not know the exact number of people who got it done. Even if it is less, we cannot change the rule during election time.”