ECI allows postal ballot for essential services, media
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, January 17 2022: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has notified a list of essential services where persons employed in these services on the polling day can avail the facility of Postal Ballots from their respective postings to exercise their franchise using postal ballots as.

Absentee Voters' in the Assembly elections of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur.

As per the ECI's notification, the list of essential services are Electricity department, BSNL, Railways, Post & Telegram, Doordarshan, All India Radio, Health Department in connection with COVID-19, Aviation, Fire Services, Ambulance Services and media persons authorised by ECI for poll day coverage.

The persons employed in these essential services who will not be able to be present in their respective polling station are classified as class of persons to give vote by postal ballot in the said election as per the provisions of Part-IIIA of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961 as amended by ministry of Law & Justice.

The ECI's decision on July 16,2020 in pursuance of the Conduct of Election (Amendment) Rules, 2019, and the Conduct of Elections (Amendment) 2020, had given the facility of voting through postal ballot (PB) to the senior citizens who are above 80 years of age; persons with disability flagged in the database for electoral roll and COVID 19 suspect or affected persons.

In this connection, ROs have started the distribution of application form for postal ballot (Form 12D) for the PwDs and 80-plus citizens.

Only the PwDs who are flagged in the electoral roll and who possess disability certificate can avail this facility of opting for postal ballot.

However, if the PwDs and 80-plus citizens wish to cast their vote, they can come out on the poll day and cast their votes physically at their respective polling stations.

The EC, in a separate notification to the poll-bound states under Section 60(c) of the RP Act, 1951 for the purpose of voting through postal ballot for Absentee voters in the category of persons employed in essential services-regarding said that 'the notification issued on January 14, needs to be published in the State Gazette immediately and a copy of the same may also be forwarded to the Commission'.

Directing the Chief Electoral Officers of all the five poll -bound states, the Commission said that the concerned departments of the notified category of electors may be informed accordingly, and may be asked to nominate "Nodal Officer" for this purpose of the postal ballot facility.

"The Nodal Officer may be briefed about the facility and responsibilities and duties to be carried out by him/ her.

Copies of Form 12D appended to the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961 may be made available to the Nodal Officer and the Nodal Officer should inform the electors concerned about the facility," the EC stated in the notification The Commission also issued detailed guidelines for this purpose.

Comment