Physically challenged voters and those above 80 years of age can cast their votes in the upcoming Uttarakhand assembly polls by postal ballot, Chief Electoral Officer Saujanya said on Tuesday.
The facility of postal ballot, which was given earlier only to service voters and personnel engaged in poll duty, will now be extended to the physically challenged voters and those above 80 years, according to the latest guidelines of the Election Commission of India.
Voters in this category can vote from their homes. They will have to apply for it in advance and will be given the facility of postal ballot, Saujanya told reporters here.
The assembly elections in Uttarakhand are due early next year.
There are 1,65,113 voters aged above 80 years in Uttarakhand whereas the number of physically challanged voters is 53,900, she said.
There are 78.46 lakh voters in the state according to the revised electoral rolls which show an addition of 30,808 voters since January 1, 2021 when there were 78.15 lakh voters in the state.
Inviting claims and objections on the revised voter list by November 30, the chief electoral officer said those who are going to attain the age of 18 or more by January 1, 2022 can get their names added to the list of eligible voters by presenting their claims before the November 30 deadline.
After disposing of the claims and objections by December 20, the final electoral rolls will be published by January 5, 2022, she said.
The number of polling booths in the state has gone up from 11,024 to 11,647, she said.
It has been ensured that no voter has to traverse a distance of more than two kms to reach a polling booth, the official added.
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