Ahead of the Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Haryana next month, the Election Commission of India has written to the Chief Secretaries of the two States to make arrangements for those under preventive detention to exercise their franchise through postal ballot.
In a letter to the Chief Secretaries of the two States, the Election Commission on Thursday pointed out that sub-section (5) of Section 62 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, confers voting rights on “electors subjected to preventive detention.” And Rule 18 of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, states that such detainees are entitled to cast their vote through postal ballot.
Uner Rule 21(1) of the Conduct of Elections Rules, the appropriate government has to intimate Returning Officers of the names of voters under preventive detention.
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