Chennai, April 12 (IANS) Postal voting for senior citizens and differently-abled voters in Chennai will be conducted on April 15, with April 16 reserved as an additional day for those unable to cast their vote on the first day, Greater Chennai Corporation officials said.

The initiative is part of the Election Commission’s efforts to ensure inclusive participation in the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

Across 16 constituencies in the city, a total of 23,415 senior citizens aged above 85 and 12,501 differently-abled voters have been identified. Of these, around 8,947 voters have opted to cast their vote from home through the postal ballot facility by submitting Form 12D.

Officials said elaborate arrangements have been put in place to facilitate a smooth and transparent process.

As many as 96 polling teams will be deployed across the city to collect votes directly from voters’ residences. Each team will comprise two polling officers, a police officer, a videographer, and a micro-observer to ensure strict adherence to electoral guidelines.

Voters who have opted for the facility will be informed in advance about the date and time of the visit by polling teams.

Authorities emphasised that all necessary precautions will be taken to ensure that voting is conducted freely, fairly, and in complete secrecy.

Meanwhile, polling personnel engaged in election duties will also cast their postal ballots between April 16 and 17. The voting for these officials will take place at three designated centres in the city, the locations of which are expected to be finalised shortly.

Training for the polling teams was conducted on April 8 at Ripon Buildings under the supervision of Chennai Corporation Commissioner J. Kumaragurubaran.

During the session, officials were instructed to ensure that voters exercise their franchise independently without any external influence and that the confidentiality of the ballot is strictly maintained.

After casting their votes, voters will seal their ballot papers and place them in secure ballot boxes carried by the polling teams. The collected ballots will be documented daily, stored under the custody of returning officers, and the details will be electronically submitted to the Chief Electoral Officer to maintain transparency and accountability in the process.

–IANS

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