Context: Bihar, Migration, and Low Turnout
- Bihar’s Out-Migration Profile:
- One of the highest out-migration states in India.
- Over 50% of households experience migration, mostly for work.
- Voter Turnout Concerns:
- Bihar’s voter turnout in 2024 Lok Sabha elections was 56%, significantly below the national average of 66%.
- Migration is cited as a key factor reducing electoral participation.
Relevance : GS 2(Elections ,Social Issues)
Patterns and Complexity of Migration
- India-wide Migration Stats (2021):
- 28.9% overall migration rate.
- Majority of women migrate for marriage, while 10% migrate for work, especially in Bihar and eastern India.
- Types of Migrants:
- Intra-State Migrants (≈85%): Often in informal sectors and travel within state boundaries.
- Inter-State Migrants: Harder to reach due to geographic and logistical barriers.
Challenges in Voting Access for Migrants
- Disenfranchisement Risks:
- Migrants often can’t travel home during elections due to distance, cost, or employment conditions.
- Lack of suitable voting mechanisms effectively denies many their right to vote.
Proposed Mechanisms and Their Prospects
Statutory Holiday + Transport for Intra-State Migrants
- Mechanism: Enforce paid holiday on polling day + arrange special buses.
- Benefit: Enables short-distance travel to home constituencies.
- Challenge: Needs coordination with employers, especially in the informal sector.
Postal Ballot System
- Inspired by: Armed forces voting system.
- Mechanism: Migrants pre-register, ECI issues and collects ballots.
- Benefit: Could be efficient for inter-state migrants if managed well.
- Challenge: Requires extensive advance planning and bureaucratic capacity.
Shifting Constituencies
- Mechanism: Long-term migrants register at place of current residence.
- Benefit: Empowers migrants as local political stakeholders.
- Challenge: May face local opposition; needs clear proof of residence.
Remote Voting Machines (RVMs)
- ECI pilot (2023): RVMs capable of handling votes for up to 72 constituencies.
- Political Concerns:
- Transparency and credibility issues raised.
- Code of Conduct enforcement where migrants reside remains a grey area.
- Operational Difficulty:
- ECI would need to install multiple RVMs per city, especially for states like Bihar with 243 Assembly constituencies.
- Data collection and coordination must begin months in advance.
Women Migrants: A Special Case
- Women migrating after marriage often don’t re-register in new constituencies.
- Targeted voter awareness and registration drives needed to include them in local electoral rolls.
Why a Mixed Approach is Needed
- Heterogeneity of migrants demands multi-pronged solutions.
- Temporary vs permanent, intra- vs inter-state, skilled vs unskilled.
- No one-size-fits-all mechanism; ECI needs to combine:
- Postal ballots
- RVMs (long-term solution with fine-tuning)
- Transport/logistical support
- Flexible re-registration norms
Policy Implications & the Way Forward
- Strengthen migrant inclusivity to uphold democratic ideals.
- Empower migrant workers politically, helping demand better living/work conditions.
- More research and pilot studies needed on:
- Voting behaviours of migrants
- Feasibility of tech-based interventions (RVMs, e-postal ballots)
- Build stakeholder consensus — ECI, political parties, civil society, and employers — to implement any voting reform successfully.
