Six Goans become Portugese nationals everyday

Panaji: At least six Goans on an average are changing their nationality daily to become Portuguese since the last five years, according to the records available with the Election Commission of India (ECI). The data at ECI Goa office, where the Portuguese embassy is situated, a total of 11,500 Goans have surrendered their Indian passport to obtain Portuguese passport between January 31, 2008 to January 31, 2013. [caption id=“attachment_1307527” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Voters queue up in a polling booth in Davorlim, Goa. Representational image. AFP.[/caption] A senior official disclosed that nearly 2,700 voters have lost their polling rights as their names have been deleted from the voters list. A decision is pending on 8,800 applications. Goa, a Portuguese colony, was liberated from colonial rule in 1961 but the former rulers have relaxed certain norms for those Goans who want to get citizenship of that country. ECI officials who are in the process of updating the electoral rolls in the wake of forthcoming Lok Sabha polls have decided to cancel all names who are having foreign passports. “Those who have received foreign nationality, surrender their Indian passport and lose their right to vote in India,” officer said. The chief electoral officer in Goa has launched a special summery revision as per which additional 24,000 names have been added to the voters list. The final list would be out by January 2014. PTI