Sri Vijaya Puram, Aug 31: Hindu Rashtra Shakti (HRS), Andaman and Nicobar Islands, has made a formal appeal to the Election Commission of India and other constitutional authorities regarding the alleged inclusion of ineligible Nepali nationals in the electoral rolls of Ward No. 17 (Nepali Basti) under the Sri Vijayapuram Municipal Council.
In a letter addressed to the Chief Election Commissioner Mr. Gyanesh Kumar, Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi, as well as the President and Prime Minister of India, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and other relevant offices, HRS State President Mr. Rakeshwar Lall emphasized that such inclusions violate the Constitution of India and the Representation of the People Act, 1950. Only Indian citizens are legally entitled to vote in elections, and any deviation undermines the integrity of the electoral process.
“The inclusion of foreign nationals, particularly Nepali citizens, in our voter rolls is a serious national concern. It erodes democratic legitimacy and potentially compromises national security,” stated Mr. Rakeshwar Lall.
The letter references the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) drive in Bihar, where thousands of ineligible voters from neighboring countries like Nepal, Bangladesh, and Myanmar are being identified and removed through door-to-door verification. It also notes that the Supreme Court of India has upheld this process, reinforcing the constitutional mandate that voting is a right reserved exclusively for Indian citizens.
Citing the 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship between India and Nepal, HRS pointed out that while the treaty allows certain residential and economic privileges to Nepali nationals, it does not extend to political rights such as voting. Moreover, India does not permit dual citizenship, making it illegal for any Nepali citizen to appear on India’s electoral rolls.
HRS has demanded:
• Immediate initiation of a thorough voter verification process in Ward No. 17, mirroring the methodology used in Bihar.
• Removal of all individuals unable to provide conclusive proof of Indian citizenship from the electoral rolls before the next election.
• Filing of formal cases under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 against any individual, NGO, or political party attempting to obstruct the verification process or spread misinformation.
• The organization also expressed concerns that certain groups motivated by vote-bank politics may attempt to derail this lawful process by threatening or misleading government officials involved in voter verification.
“Any attempt to obstruct this process must be treated as a criminal act under the new BNS law. Government officers must be protected from intimidation, and anti-national activities must be met with zero tolerance,” the letter emphasized.
Hindu Rashtra Shakti has urged the Election Commission and all relevant authorities to take swift, transparent, and firm action to safeguard the sanctity of the electoral process, particularly in the sensitive areas of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
