PANJIM: Probably the quote that best sums up the Non-Resident Goan’s predicament to vote for a government back home is Louis L’Amour’s words, “To make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not simply observers. One who does not vote has no right to complain.” As waves of Goan professionals, who have embarked overseas on following their careers have often rued about things getting worse back home, the fact remains that they looked on helplessly till November this year.
On November 17, The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced that it had deleted names of over 25,017 voters owing to their death or absence. The list of those who would not be eligible to vote for Goa included 510 ‘Portuguese nationals’ too. But what was more worrisome was the fate of many more Goans who have been out of the State, rather, the country eking out a living for themselves. Their number, a whopping 5 lakh plus. Will they be next to face the axe?
Twenty-four hours later on November 18, one lone Xaxtikar decided to take the matters into his own hands. Simao Xavier Silva aka Simon D’Silva, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee’s (GPCC) NRI Global Cell Chairman moved the Supreme Court of India seeking “Direction/Order to the Union of India for granting online/postal ballot voting rights to Non-Residents Goans/Indians who are staying overseas”. The Apex Court not only admitted the Writ Petition, but also issued a notice to the Union of India to respond in eight weeks time. Though the next hearing may be happening almost at the same time as Goa goes to polls, Goa Congress’ calculated gamble may set the tone for a stronger Goan role in the future Governments of Goa and even India.
Of the estimated nearly 5 lakh Goans residing outside the country, a substantial number are residents of the Gulf and Middle East countries. Silva’s petition seeks the indulgence of the Supreme Court for passing an appropriate writ/order/direction to the Union of India so that Goans and Indians who are residing outside India are granted online/postal ballot voting rights.
For the soft-spoken St Jose de Areal resident D’Silva, this fight has not come in time for the polls. Senior Congressman and eminent counsel Kapil Sibal is arguing the case for D’Silva. The matter came up for hearing before the Division Bench of the Supreme Court of India headed by Chief Justice of India Justice T S Thakur on November 18 2016.
GPCC President Luizinho Faleiro who established an overseas cell of the party with Goan representatives in countries with significant Goan population said, “How can you ignore our brothers, sisters, sons and daughters who have gone abroad just to work or study. Expat Goans have a stake in and right to decide the future of, Goa.”
Since 2012, Goa has witnessed a worrying phenomenon. Every day almost 10 Goans surrender their passports and migrate abroad. As they leave behind a civilian vacuum of sorts, what is worrisome is the Election Commission of India, especially its local electoral office’s, hurry to remove the names of those not physically present in Goa from the voter’s list. D’Silva’s case, if well addressed in the interests of democracy, will help Goans/Indians studying and working abroad to keep their universal adult franchise as Indian voters intact.
