New Delhi, March 19 (IANS) The Election Commission of India (ECI), on Thursday, issued directions to facilitate the elderly, persons with disabilities (PwD), service voters, and voters on election duty, to vote using postal ballots in the upcoming Assembly elections in four states and one Union Territory, an official said.

“The Commission, as per Section 60(c) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, has notified that electors above the age of 85 years and persons with disabilities (PwDs) flagged in electoral rolls may cast their vote through postal ballot,” the official said in a statement.

The postal ballots cast should reach the concerned Returning Officers (ROs) by 8 a.m. on the date of counting of votes on May 4, 2026, the statement said.

The ECI said that such voters can avail this facility using Form-12 D and submitting to the RO through their booth level officer within five days of notification of elections.

“Polling teams will collect their votes at their homes, as per schedule to be prepared by the respective Returning Officers and shared with the candidates as well,” the statement added.

Voters on essential services on the date of polling can apply for the postal ballot facility through the designated nodal officer of their respective department, the ECI said.

“Essential services such as fire services, health, electricity, traffic, ambulance services, aviation and long-distance Government Road Transport Corporations are covered under this facility,” the poll body added.

Mediapersons authorised by the Election Commission for poll day coverage have also been included in the category of absentee voters on essential services and are entitled to postal ballot facility, the statement said.

A voter on election duty would receive his postal ballot, record his vote thereon, and return it at the facilitation centre.

The ECI has issued directions in this regard to ensure that voting takes place with complete secrecy for the voter at the facilitation centre, the statement added.

Service voters will be sent their postal ballots electronically by the RO through the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System, immediately on finalisation of list of contesting candidates.

Service voters are not required to bear the cost of postal services, the statement said.

ECI Deputy Director, P. Pawan, said in a statement that the Returning Officer (RO)/District Election Officer (DEO) have also been directed to brief the political parties/contesting candidates regarding the above provisions.

While announcing the Assembly election schedule on Sunday, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said, “Assam and Keralam will vote in a single phase on April 9. The Union Territory of Puducherry will go to the polls on April 9. In Tamil Nadu, all 234 Assembly seats will go to polls in a single phase on April 23.”

“For the 294-member West Bengal Assembly, the polling will be held in two phases. As many as 152 Assembly seats will see elections on April 23, while the second phase will be held for the remaining 142 seats on April 29,” Paswan added.

The results in all states and the lone Union Territory will be announced on May 4.

–IANS

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