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New Delhi, October 8 (IANS) Election Commission (ECI) announced on Wednesday that elderly voters, benchmark disabled persons (PWDs), and service voters will be able to cast their votes through postal ballots in the upcoming Bihar assembly elections.
According to a press note issued by ECI, this facility will be provided under Section 60 (C) of the Representation of the People’s Act, 1951.
The ECI said in its press note, “Such voters can avail this facility using Form 12D and can submit the returning officer through their BLO within 5 days of issuing the election notification. Polling parties will collect their votes in their homes.”
“On the date of the pole, voters can apply for the postal ballot facility through the nodal officer of their respective departments,” said this.
The Commission also extended this facility to voters engaged in essential services like fire, health, electricity, traffic, ambulance services, aviation, long distance government road transport corporations, etc., as well as media personnel were authorized to cover the polling day.
Additionally, service voters will electronically receive their ballot papers electronically through the electronically broadcast postal system (ETPBS).
The poll panel said, “Service voters will be electronically sent by the returning officer electronically through the postal ballot system (ETPBS), electronically sent to their postal ballots, on finalizing the list of candidates contesting the election immediately. Service voters do not need to tolerate the cost of postal services,” said the Poll panel said.
The ECI has directed the returning officers and district election officials of political parties and candidates on these provisions to ensure smooth implementation.
In particular, the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) was implemented with the announcement of dates on Monday and first day, the pole panel also issued directions for strict implementation of the pole code in the state.
Since the MCC as well as the Bihar government prevents the Bihar government from making any policy announcement, ECI has also issued directions to the Chief Secretary of Bihar and the Chief Electoral Officer in this regard.
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SAS/Dan