Election authorities in Mysuru on Saturday, April 29, embarked on a first-of-its-kind initiative where the elderly citizens aged 80 years and above and people with disabilities got the option of voting from home.
The Election Commission introduced this option so that people who cannot go to the polling booth to vote over age-related reasons or illnesses and disabilities are not deprived of voting. The task to facilitate the vote from home option required a lot of planning since the secrecy of the vote has to be maintained besides ensuring a smooth ballot voting process.
Only 2,407 elderly voters aged 80 years and above and 402 PwDs opted to vote from home facility, submitting the mandatory 12D forms to the authorities who had gone to their homes identifying them through the electoral rolls.
The ballot paper voting process was videographed amidst the teams constituted for facilitating the process. In total, 135 teams have been constituted to execute the task and they have been assigned 158 routes in 11 constituencies. The process ends on May 6.
Bed-ridden patients and those suffering from age-related ailments are making use of the option, which was first introduced in Sindagi and Sira by-elections in Karnataka.
After checking the ID proof, the ballot paper was handed over to the voter to cast his or her vote, inside a secret cubicle and drop it in an envelope. The team reschedules the visit if the voter is not available at the designated address for some emergency reasons. If they do not avail the option on the second visit, they will lose the chance to vote, and cannot vote further including on May 10.
Postal voting facilitation center for AVES from May 2
Meanwhile, the staff working in essential services and who are unable to vote on May 10 because of indispensable duties can make use of postal ballot voting for three days on May 2, 3 and 4 at the Postal Voting Facilitation Center that will come up in the office of Returning Officers (ROs) in all 11 constituencies.
As many as 687 voters belonging to essential services have opted for postal ballot voting seeking the facility submitting 12D Form. They have been considered as Absentee Voters’ of Essential Services (AVES) and given the choice of exercising the franchise establishing the facilitation centers where they can cast their vote.
The postal ballot voting has been provided across Karnataka on the same dates and the staff can avail a paid holiday to go to their respective constituencies for ballot voting.
The election commission has directed the DCs and the heads of the departments to provide paid leave to the staff opting ballot voting.
The highest number of AVES are high in KR Nagar (137) while the lowest number of such voters are in Nanjangud (24).
