Value of voter id

1) Yes, a foreign national who is a ‘person resident in India’ within the meaning of Section 2(v) of FEMA, 1999 can purchase immovable property in India, but the person concerned would have to obtain the approvals and fulfil the requirements, if any, prescribed by other authorities, such as, the State Government concerned, etc.

The onus to prove his/her residential status is on the individual as per the extant FEMA provisions, if required by any authority. However, a foreign national resident in India who is a citizen of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, China, Iran, Nepal and Bhutan would require prior approval of the Reserve Bank.

2) A voter identification card offers a number of advantages:

--It is a reliable form of identification/ an identity proof.

--It serves as acknowledgement that the voter is duly registered.

--It may include several identifying features (e.g. photograph, signature, fingerprints) to provide greater assurance that the voter is who he or she claims to be.

--It may be marked when the voter has obtained a ballot, preventing multiple voting.

--It can be designed to be suitable for an electorate with a low literacy rate.

--It can be an effective form of identification where many voters have no fixed address.

--It facilitates voting in areas where a voter may not be known personally.

--It can be issued together with voter education material.