Port Blair, Feb. 7: The Election Commission (UTs) have extended the facility of voting through postal ballot paper to the categories of electors viz. Senior Citizens(above 80 years of age), Electors holding disability card who are not able to stand or walk without the help of an attendant, COVID-19 suspect or affected persons  and Persons on Election Duty (Including Police personnel).

An absentee voter wishing to vote by postal ballot has to make application to the Returning Officer (RO) of the constituency/ward concerned, in Form-27, giving all requisite particulars. Such applications seeking postal ballot facility should reach the RO within 8 days following the date of notification of the Election. The Commission has laid down the following procedure/guidelines for facilitating voting through [postal ballot by the absentee voters belonging to PWD category (AVPD), absentee voters belonging to COVID-19 category (AVCO) and persons on election duty (including Police Personnel)(PED).

If at the time of election, any elector is hospitalised on account of COVID-19, in a hospital within the UT or is in Home/Institutional Quarantine on account of COVID-19 and hence not in a position to cast vote personally at the polling station as per medical advice and if such elector makes a request for issue of postal ballot, the RO concerned, on being satisfied about the genuineness of the application in terms of guidelines issued by the Commission in this regard, shall provide the postal ballot to the elector. The RO shall make arrangement to deliver the postal ballot and to get the same collected back from the said elector before the date fixed for poll in the Constituency/ward. Applications for postal ballot paper from such electors (Form-27) should be accompanied by copy certificate/instructions from competent health authorities clearly showing that the applicant is hospitalised in the state or is in quarantine within the State (Home or Institutional) on account of COVID-19.

Separate teams of poll officers, comprising two officials shall visit the electors at the address mentioned in their application in Form-27 for facilitating their voting by postal ballot paper. The candidates shall be informed about the schedule of visit for the delivery and collection of postal ballots for this category. They may, if desired, depute their authorised representatives (including BLAs), with prior intimation to the Returning Officer, to watch the process. The visiting Polling Official shall ascertain the identity of the elector before issuing postal ballot paper.

Name of the elector and the document produced for identification shall also be entered in a register to be maintained for the purpose, and signature/thumb impression of the elector obtained therein. Further, a tick mark shall be placed against the name of the elector in the list of AVSC, AVPD, AVCO and PED to indicate that the person has voted. The counterfoil with the serial number and part number of elector duly filled up shall be detached and kept in safe custody by the team.

While briefing the electors about the procedure of voting and formalities to be observed on their part, the Polling Official shall clearly explain the following points to them:-

Making the declaration in Form-28A and getting it attested by the poll officer himself.

Entering the serial number of postal ballot paper, both on Form 28 A and on the smaller envelope (Form 28B).

Manner of marking vote, i.e. by placing either cross mark or tick mark against the name of the candidate of choice.

Folding and placing the marked ballot in the smaller envelope and closing the envelope.

Placing the declaration in Form-28A, duly filled, signed and attested along with closed envelope (Form-28B) containing the marked ballot paper inside the larger envelope (Form-28C), closing the larger envelope and handing over the same to the poll officer.

The Poll Officer is authorized to attest the declaration in Form-28A in the case of AVSC, AVPD, AVCO and PED. While attesting the declaration, the Poll Officer shall write his full name and also the designation 'Poll Officer'. In the case of a COVID affected person on treatment in Hospital, the Medical Officer attending to the person is also authorised to attest the declaration. After the vote is cast on postal ballot and the envelope in Form-28C is ready, the Poll Official will collect the same.