Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan has flagged the possible subversion of the ‘vote from home’ facility for senior citizens and differently-abled people, and has sought for transparency during the Lok Sabha elections.
In a letter to the Chief Electoral Officer, Mr. Satheesan alleged that some vested political interests have misused the facility to garner votes in their favour during the 2021 Assembly elections. Some officials attempted to tilt the field in favour of one party or another by conducting the process in the absence of booth agents of opposition parties.
He demanded that election officers insist on identity proof other than the electoral ID card of the voter. The polling officer should also verify the voter’s Aadhar card. The officer should give advance notice to polling agents of opposing candidates. They should conduct the polling only in the presence of booth level agents of respective political parties.
Mr. Satheesan also demanded that postal ballots be deposited in sealed envelopes in secure ballot boxes.
