Lok Sabha 2024 polls: Sri Lankan Tamil born in refugee camp in India, votes for first time
Apr 19, 2024
Trichy (Tamil Nadu) [India], April 19 : Born in 1986 at a refugee centre in Rameswaram Mandapam camp and now residing now at the rehabilitation camp for Sri Lankan Tamils at Kottapattu in Trichy, Nalaini Kirubakaran cast her vote for the first time in the city on Friday.
Nalaini cast her vote at MM Middle School here. Speaking to ANI, Kirubakaran said, "For the first time, I have voted... I am very much happy. At the age of 38, my dream has been fulfilled. I am the first person in Tamil Nadu to vote from Sri Lankan Refugee Camp."
In 2021, Nalaini had moved the Madras High Court when her application for an Indian passport was rejected by a regional passport office.
The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court in August 2022 directed officials to issue the Indian passport to Nalaini, pointing out that the birth certificate is from Mandapam and states that the person born in India between January 26, 1950 and July 1, 1987 is a "citizen by birth," according to the Section 3 of the Citizenship Act, 1995.
Despite getting her passport, Nalaini continues to live in the rehabilitation camp, with special permission from the district collector since her family is still stateless living inside the Trichy refugee camp.
After Nalaini received her passport she applied for a Voter ID card and received it in January 2024.
