Kottayam: During the Puthupally by-election, individuals unable to visit the polling station have the option to vote remotely from their homes. This service commenced on August 25 and will remain available until September 2. Individuals aged 80 and above, as well as those with physical disabilities, have the opportunity to submit their votes from their homes using this absentee voting method.
Absentee voters are those who are unable to personally attend the polling station on election day due to various circumstances. To accommodate them, the Election Commission has introduced a specialized postal voting system. In the current election cycle, a total of 2,549 residents within the district have submitted requests to participate in the home voting program. Among these, 350 have reported having disabilities, while 2,199 are aged 80 or above.
Individuals who have completed the 12D application form for postal voting are eligible to utilize this voting method. Absentee voters who qualify will receive advanced notice and the necessary arrangements for postal voting from their homes. A dedicated polling team will visit the applicants’ homes to assist with casting their votes. It’s important to note that individuals unable to participate during this period will not have an opportunity for casting their votes at a later time.
A total of 15 teams have been designated specifically for managing the absentee voting process. Each team is composed of a micro observer, a presiding officer, a polling officer, a videographer, and a police officer. Through the assistance of Booth Level Officers (BLOs), these specialized polling officers will visit the residences to facilitate the voter registration and ballot casting procedure.
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