Targeted voters still unaware of postal ballot facility

The Election Commission’s decision to permit certain category of voters in the forthcoming Assembly Elections to exercise their franchise through postal ballots is yet to percolate down to the targeted voters.

According to the data furnished by the District Election authorities in Thanjavur,just 1,450 eligible persons have come forward to utilise the same so far in the district.

The authorities had said 59,283 out of the 20.50 lakh voters in Thanjavur district fall under the category of senior citizens aged 80 and above and persons with disabilities. These categories of voters can exercise their franchise through postal ballot if they wish or cast their vote at the polling booth in person, official sources said.

Apart from them another 30,000 voters, mostly government staff, who were drawn for election duty can exercise their franchise through postal ballots, sources added.

In order to create awareness among the general category of voters found eligible to cast their votes through postal ballot the election officials have started calling upon them to elicit their choice.

A drive in this regard carried out by the election officials at Thanjavur Municipal Corporation limits was inspected by the District Election Officer and Collector M.Govinda Rao on Monday. He served the Form 12-D to a few senior citizen who expressed their wish to avail postal ballot facility at the Keezhavasal area in Thanjavur town.