HYDERABAD: In a bid to ensure that every person casts his or her franchise, the Telangana State Election Commission (SEC) has given persons with disabilities (PwDs) the option of postal ballot. Apart from PwDs, those aged 80 and above and Covid-positive persons are eligible for postal ballots.
In a set of orders issued on Thursday, the SEC said: ‘Keeping in view the COVID-19 pandemic in India and in order to curb the high risk of community spread of novel corona virus (COVID-19), the Commission prescribed the broad guidelines to be followed during conduct of ordinary elections to GHMC duly following the Standard operating Procedures (SOP) on disinfection, sanitization, and prevention for containing COVID-19 issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India from time to time.’
Usually, the postal ballots are provided to certain voters, service personnel and their wives, persons who are under preventive detention and persons who are on election duty.
However, this time around, an elector who falls in the afore mentioned categories can apply for a postal ballot through application form (physically or through official website (tsec.gov.in) of TSEC using Postal Ballot Management Module system to the concerned ward Returning Officer).
For those who have tested and have been found as coronavirus positive after November 1 have to enclose recent medical test certificate in addition to self-attested Aadhar/EPIC Card/passport along with application form.
In case of PwD voters, they have to enclose their disability certificate issued by a competent authority in addition to their self-attested Aadhar / EPIC/ passport having photograph as address proof.
If an elector of above categories has opted for postal ballot and once a postal ballot is issued to him/her, he/she has to cast a vote through postal ballot only.
‘The elector has to apply at least seven days prior to the day of the poll. After scrutiny of FORM-XXII-A and enclosures, the Returning Officer will send the Postal Ballot by post to the eligible voters for the address mentioned in address proof attached to the form,’ the rules state.
After applying for the postal ballot, the elector would receive a sealed packet sent by RO, containing postal ballot paper, declaration in Form — XXVI-A, smaller cover marked 'A' (Form-XXVII), larger cover marked 'B' (Form-XXVIII) and instructions for the guidance of voters.
