Srinagar: Voters aged above 80 years, individuals with special needs, jail inmates and those ill with the coronavirus can now cast their ballot from the comfort of their homes instead of traveling to the polling stations.
The Election Commission of India (ECI), a constitutional body tasked with conducting and supervising elections in India, has introduced the Postal Ballot Facility (PBF) for these four categories who find it difficult to visit polling stations to exercise their right to vote for obvious reasons.
The PBF has been introduced to enable the individuals falling under its purview to cast their vote without having to visit polling stations, Chand Kishore Sharma, Additional Secretary to the Government, and a National Level Master Trainer (NLMT), said during a one-day workshop for media professionals at the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) at Dar-ul-Intikhab in Srinagar.
Sharma referred to the change as a “significant development” in the electoral history of India, noting that those who fall under the purview of PBF may now vote without having to leave their homes to visit polling places.
Those having travelled outside their home constituency, including polling staff, security forces and police personnel, drivers and conductors can also cast their ballot through PBF.
Regarding inmates lodged in different jails within and outside the UT, Sharma said that an ECI team would visit the jail to obtain the prisoners’ proper electoral information before enabling them to exercise their franchise.
Regarding specially-abled, COVID-positive patients and adults over 80 years of age, he said since the three come under the purview of PBF, they are entitled to exercise their franchise from the comforts of their homes.
A team of officials accompanied by a security official, a media representative along with Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) would visit their homes and collect their personal data before enabling them to cast a ballot, he informed.
