The National Campaign Committee-Construction Labour (NCC-CL) has stepped up its advocacy for migrant workers’ voting rights. Amid controversy over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, which excluded around 35 migrant workers, the committee has called on the Election Commission of India (ECI) to implement a postal ballot system for migrants.
Migrant workers from Bihar often travel to states like Punjab for agricultural work or to southern regions like Tamil Nadu and Kerala for construction and other unorganised labour. This movement has surged due to insufficient MGNREGA allocations and dire economic conditions, according to Subhash Bhatnagar, the committee’s coordinator.
Many of these workers still return to their hometowns to cast their votes. However, the NCC-CL argues that this is an unnecessary burden. Postal ballots would allow them to participate in elections without the financial and logistical strain of travel.
The committee has been raising this issue for over a decade. Bhatnagar expressed shock over the removal of migrants’ names from Bihar’s electoral rolls under the SIR instead of addressing their demand for postal voting rights. He stressed that these workers are eager to exercise their democratic rights and should not be disenfranchised.
A formal letter was sent to the ECI, urging the creation of a policy and implementation mechanism for postal ballots. Until such a system is in place, the NCC-CL insists that existing electoral lists must remain unchanged to protect migrants’ voting rights.
The debate over migrant voting is a critical one as India’s workforce becomes increasingly mobile. Ensuring accessible voting methods for these workers is not just about fairness—it’s about upholding democracy for all citizens, no matter where they work. The NCC-CL’s push could be a turning point in securing rights for millions.