The Election Commission of India (ECI) has identified 27,863 absentee voters in the district. They will not be able to go to polling booths to exercise their right to franchise.
Among them are COVID-19 infected persons, those in quarantine, physically challenged persons, those above 80 years of age, and employees of essential services having election duty. District Collector Mrunmai Joshi said that postal ballot facility would be arranged for them.
Only 33 persons in quarantine for COVID-19 have applied for postal ballot so far. As many as 2,727 physically challenged voters, 22,218 elderly voters, and 2,885 essential service employees, would use postal ballot, Ms. Joshi said.
All absentee voters other than essential service staff can exercise their right to franchise between March 26 and April 4. Polling officials would reach their houses with postal ballots during that period. There would be six members in each polling team, comprising a polling officer, a polling assistant, a micro observer, a police officer, a videographer, and a driver.
Officials said that the confidential character of polling booths would be strictly maintained while getting the absentee voters exercise their right to franchise. The list of voters and the date of postal balloting would be conveyed to the candidates in advance so that they can arrange polling agents.
The absentee voters who are employees of essential services can cast their vote at the postal voting centres in their respective constituencies on March 28, 29 and 30. Voting facility will be available for them from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on those days.
