For the first time in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, the Election Commission of India has allowed the casting of postal votes for elderly voters aged over 80, the differently-abled, and those who have tested positive for COVID-19.
Those aged above 80 and those eligible for casting postal ballots should fill up a 12-D consent form when officials visit their residences.
Within five days of the notification of the election schedule, officials will visit the residences of persons falling in the three categories after preparing a list and ask them whether they want to cast their votes through postal ballots. If they choose the option, they will be provided with a 12-D consent form for casting votes.
At your doorstep
Officials would then visit the houses of the voters on a fixed day before the day of polling, and receive their ballots in ballot boxes physically. However, indelible ink will not be applied on fingers of electors. “Those who have filled 12-D forms will not be able to cast votes at the polling booths,” Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo said.
According to the Election Commission of India, over 12.91 lakh electors in electoral rolls across Tamil Nadu are aged above 80. Of the 37 districts in the State, Chennai has the highest number of such persons (1.08 lakh), followed by Coimbatore (64,755), Salem (61,728) and Tiruppur (61,272).
Polling is scheduled in all 234 Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu and 33 constituencies in Puducherry on April 6, and the counting of votes is scheduled on May 2. The same schedule applies to the bypoll in the Kanniyakumari Parliamentary constituency.
