In a bid to address pending issues related to the electoral roll, the Election Commission has announced a special initiative for foreign nationals residing at ISKCON’s Mayapur campus on Nadia who have either obtained Indian citizenship or have applied for it. A dedicated camp will be organised at the Mayapur ISKCON temple on March 4, after the publication of the final voter list, officials said.
According to sources in the Commission, the special camp is intended for long-term residents of India who have recently acquired citizenship or are in the process of doing so, but whose names do not feature in the final electoral roll. The Commission has clarified that the camp will be held strictly after the final voter list is published, ensuring that only eligible applicants whose names are officially missing from the list can avail themselves of the facility.
The move follows representations made to the Election Commission by members of the ISKCON community. On Tuesday, two ISKCON nuns — one originally from Russia and the other from Ukraine — visited the Commission’s office and met the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO). Both women have been living in India for several years and claim to have recently obtained Indian citizenship. They approached the Commission seeking inclusion of their names in the voter list and were reportedly given the necessary assurances by officials.
Election Commission officials believe that the special camp will help resolve similar cases swiftly and streamline the process of extending voting rights to eligible new citizens residing at ISKCON.
The two women, known by their initiated names Badreshwari Devi Dasi and Rukmavati Devi Dasi, have lived in India for over two decades and are members of ISKCON in Mayapur. While detailed information regarding their citizenship process has not been made public, both have stated that they have submitted the relevant citizenship documents to the Commission.
Having spent much of their lives in India, they are fluent in Bengali, have travelled extensively across the country, and say they have fully embraced Indian culture, including traditional attire such as sarees. Despite this, they are yet to be formally included in the electoral roll, a gap they now hope to bridge.
Badreshwari Devi Dasi, originally from Ukraine, said she chose to apply during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. “I had filled out the form offline earlier, but some issues remained. That is why I came directly to the CEO’s office to understand the process clearly,” she said, adding that officials guided them on completing the online application correctly.
Rukmavati Devi Dasi, from Russia, speaking in fluent Bengali, said, “I love India and the Indian people. I have lived here for more than 20 years and have accepted this country’s culture as my own. I had filled out the form earlier, but there was a small problem. After meeting the officials, everything was explained to me clearly.”
Officials reiterated that under the Constitution and electoral laws, only Indian citizens are entitled to vote, and the special camp is aimed solely at ensuring that eligible citizens are not deprived of their voting rights due to procedural gaps.
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