Home Guards seek postal ballot facility
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, January 19 2022: Manipur Home Guard Employees' Association submitted a letter to secretary of Election Commission of India requesting to make necessary arrangements, postal ballot facility in particular, so as to enable home guard personnel of Manipur on election duty cast vote in the upcoming 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly elections.

In case of failure to honour the proposal then the personnel might decide to refrain from election duty, said Association president Yanglem Mangi Singh in a letter addressed to the ECI Secretary.

It also noted that the Commission had notified for providing postal ballot to employees of essential services including Electricity Department, BSNL, Railways, Post & Telegram, Doordarshan, All India Radio, Health Department, Aviation, Fire Service, Ambulance service and authorised media persons so as to facilitate that these personnel exercise their franchise rights while discharging their election duty.

However, no such arrangements have been made for home guard personnel on election duty and this is considered an act of undermining their voting rights, he said, and added if the said postal ballot system could not be ensured, decision may be taken up to stay away from all election-related duties.

Comment