Thousands of Indian citizens also get to cast ballots

LONDON: It is called an “anachronism from the days of the British empire” but current laws enabled thousands of Indian citizens legally in the United Kingdom to vote in Thursday’s mid-term election, called Prime Minister Theresa May’s “Brexit election”.

The Indian citizens (not British citizens of Indian-origin) include students, professionals and others who are here for more than six months, and also those who have permanent residency but have chosen to retain Indian citizenship.

The number of such Indian citizens in the last census was more than 265,000.

Indian professionals are based mostly in London and nearby areas, but also in other parts of the UK. Indian students numbered more than 16,500 in 2015-16, according to the latest figures.

In 2016, more than 53,800 Indians were given work visas, and they and family members over the age of 18 have the right to vote.

Laws allow legally resident Indian citizens not only to vote but also to contest elections.

A leading campaign group hasbeen demanding that voting rights for Indian and Commonwealth citizens should be revoked since British citizens do not have the same rights in those countries.

According to Migration Watch UK, there could be as many as one million migrants from the Commonwealth who have the right to vote in UK parliamentary elections, which could influence the outcome in closely contested constituencies.