Paper: GS-II, Subject: Polity, Topic: Legislative, Issue: The Interplay of Migration, Citizenship, & Politics
Context: Migration both internal and international has hit unprecedented levels in the 21st century.
This movement is:
- reshaping economies (labour shortages vs labour inflows)
- influencing politics (identity, nationalism, polarisation)
- altering administrative systems (voter lists, residency rules)
- transforming notions of citizenship
Election Integrity and the Fear of “Alien Voters”
- India’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR): The Election Commission of India (ECI) is conducting an SIR of electoral rolls to address the issue of repeated entries due to migration.
- ECI’s Argument: Rapid urbanization and migration lead to multiple registrations, necessitating a pan-India SIR.
- Concerns about Non-Citizens: In both India and the U.S., there is a strong concern about non-citizens influencing politics.
Immigration as a Top Issue: Immigration is among the top three issues for voters in most developed countries.
India’s Migration Dynamics and Overseas Indians :
India manages 35.4 million Overseas Indians (15.8 million citizens), with policies enabling abroad voting but sparking debates.
- NRIs can register to vote at their Indian passport-listed residence but must be physically present
- a Supreme Court petition seeks remote voting.
- Internal policies encourage rural-urban and regional flows.
- e.g., relaxed J&K domicile rules (10-year posting, 15-year residency, 7-year study for non-locals), criticized as demographic engineering.
Internal Migration’s Political Impact
Within India, migration alters voting rights, demographics, and power balances.
- Voters are tied to “ordinary residence” polling booths.
- SIR determines not just eligibility but location of vote (e.g., migrant from Bihar to Maharashtra/Kerala shifts influence from sending to receiving states).
- Mumbai example: Marathi speakers <40%, Hindi speakers ~30%, eroding Shiv Sena’s nativism; parties now field Hindi candidates.
- 2001-2011 Census: Migrants rose from 31% to 38% (2/3 women via marriage, 1/3 men for economy), Census 2027 will reveal post-2011 shifts.
Broader Cultural and Historical Shifts
- Migration spreads ideas, cultures, and challenges birthright citizenship.
- Birthright erosion: U.S. Trump challenges 14th Amendment; India bars citizenship-by-birth for children of illegal immigrants.
- Future: SIR, Census 2027, delimitation will redistribute Lok Sabha seats, amplifying migrant influence across state lines for the first time since 1976.
Migration is redefining who belongs, who participates, and how democracies function in an age of constant movement. As citizenship, residency, and identity detach from fixed territory, nations must redesign their political and administrative systems to remain fair, inclusive, and resilient.
https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/the-story-of-we-the-moving-people/article70408220.ece
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