postal ballot: ECI allows mediapersons to cast vote through postal ballot

The Election Fee of India has allowed journalists to solid their votes by postal poll facility, in accordance with an official assertion of the workplace of Punjab chief electoral officer on Sunday.

Voting for Punjab’s 117 meeting seats will probably be held on February 14 and the counting of votes will happen on March 10.

The ECI has allowed mediapersons, authorised by the ballot physique, to train their franchise utilizing postal poll facility, mentioned the assertion.

“Mediapersons, throughout a press convention, had requested Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Punjab Dr S Karuna Raju to incorporate them in absentee voters in order that they will solid their votes utilizing the postal poll facility,” it mentioned.

Raju mentioned any absentee voter wishing to vote by postal poll has to make an software to the returning officer in Kind-12D, giving all requisite particulars and get the applying verified by the nodal officer appointed by the organisation involved.

He mentioned any voter choosing postal poll facility wouldn’t have the ability to solid a vote on the polling station.

Earlier, the fee had allowed voters aged 80 and above, folks with disabilities and COVID-19 sufferers to solid their votes by postal ballots.

These concerned in important providers, together with personnel of the Meals Civil Provides and the Shopper Affairs, the Meals Company of India, the All India Radio, Doordarshan, submit and telegraph, the railways, BSNL, energy, well being, fireplace providers and civil aviation may go for the ability in case they’re on responsibility, the assertion mentioned.

In the meantime, postal voting centres (PVCs) will probably be open for as much as three consecutive days in all of the constituencies earlier than the date mounted for state meeting polls. On every of the three days, the PVC will stay open from 9 am to 5pm, it mentioned.