The nonresident Indians can apply for enrollment as a voter by post to the respective electoral authorities in their constituencies and cast their votes there if they are physically present. There won't be no facility for absentee voting for the time being.

The enfranchisement of NRIs is expected to make huge difference in states like Kerala where more than 10 percent of it's adult population live abroad. NRIs can also run in elections without questions being asked about residential status. The political parties can contest bogus entries if any and get the list corrected time to time and make physical verification while voting.

Besides Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry are also going to polls in May. A proposal for allowing online registration is also under the consideration of the Election Commission of India.

"This will also make a qualitative change in the way people vote. The legislators will now be compelled to respect the aspirations of the expats as well," former legislator Manjalamkuzhi Ali who quit recently and joined the opposition ranks.

Ali had spent two decades in the Gulf before returning and taking the political plunge.  Earlier, only those who were present in the country at least for six months in a year were allowed to enroll in the electoral roll and contest.

"I think the NRIs aspire for good governance and quality infrastructure. Mere political affiliations would not be the sole consideration while casting their votes," Ali said.

He said efforts to enroll maximum number of NRIs will begin in a couple of months. He expects at least 5000 NRIs in a constituency on an average to make it a point to come home during the elections. 

The Registration of Electors (Amendment) Rules, 2011, as per the Representation of People (Amendment) Bill, 2010 was issued on Thursday Enfranchising NRIs, estimated to be 11 million across the world. 

The notification is in line with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s announcement at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas last year that holders of Indian passport living abroad could get the right to vote by the time of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Under the provisions of the Act, a person eligible to vote in a constituency is also eligible to contest from that constituency.

Under the revised rules, NRIs holding Indian passports, who have not acquired or applied for citizenship of another country, and who satisfy the electoral officer of the area/locality cited as address in his passport, will be allowed to vote in elections in India. A form that NRIs can fill and send to the electoral officer along with the necessary documents to be registered for voting was also issued.

The Chief Electoral Officers of the states going to polls were asked to complete publication of the electoral rolls by month-end — after the summary revision with January 1, 2011 as the cut-off date to include persons aged 18 and above as voters.

The term of Tamil Nadu Assembly ends on on May 16, the Kerala Assembly on May 23, the Assam and Pondicherry Assemblies on May 28 and West Bengal on June 11 and the elections will be held for 234 seats in Tamil Nadu, 140 in Kerala, 294 in West Bengal, 126 in Assam and 30 in Pondicherry.