PANAJI
In the absence of an automated system to identify Goans who have surrendered Indian passports, the Chief Electoral Office (CEO) has initiated steps to obtain official data from the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) and the Regional Passport Office to get their names struck-off from the electoral roll.
As reported earlier, as per FRRO records, 25,939 Goans surrendered their Indian passports between January 1, 2014 and March 31, 2024.
Apart from this, the CEO office is also grappling with a second challenge, wherein individuals who never held an Indian passport but possess foreign passports, thereby losing Indian citizenship by default but there is no database of such citizens.
Chief Electoral Officer Sanjay Goel acknowledged that election authorities currently lack any automated mechanism or digital mapping tool that alerts them when a voter gives up an Indian passport. “There is no system that informs us when someone surrenders an Indian passport. As a result, we are unable to automatically identify foreign nationals or foreign passport holders whose names must be removed from the electoral roll,” Goel said.
To plug this gap, the CEO is now formally seeking data from the FRRO and the Regional Passport Office. “Once we receive details of individuals who have surrendered their Indian passports, we will sort the information constituency-wise and forward it to the Booth Level Officers for field verification. If it is confirmed that a person has ceased to be an Indian citizen, necessary action will be taken,” he stated.
Goel stressed that the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) must ensure a thoroughly updated and error-free electoral roll.
The IAS officer said that there could be cases where individuals who never held an Indian passport but possess foreign passports, and therefore cease to be Indian citizens by default. “Such cases do not appear in any official records because these individuals never applied for an Indian passport,” he explained.
Goel also reminded that under Indian law, acquiring a foreign passport”irrespective of previously holding an Indian passport”is a criminal offence unless the individual submits a mandatory self-declaration. “The Representation of the People Act clearly states that only Indian citizens can be enrolled as voters. Anyone who voluntarily acquires foreign citizenship must inform the authorities and ensure their name is removed from the electoral roll,” he added.
FRRO data shows fluctuating trends in the number of Goans surrendering Indian passports. In 2015, the figure stood at 3,875, rising to 4,139 in 2016, before dropping to 3,634 in 2017 and 3,603 in 2018. The numbers dipped significantly in 2022 with 1,265 surrenders, but increased again to 2,094 in 2023.
Portugal grants citizenship rights to individuals born in Goa prior to December 19, 1961”the date of Goa’s liberation”as well as to two subsequent generations. A Portuguese passport provides visa-free access to several countries, including the United Kingdom and the European Union, making it an attractive option for many Goans.
