Vote through postal ballot

• IAS NEXT, Lucknow
• 18, Jan 2022

Reference News:-

The Election Commission of India has allowed journalists to cast their votes through postal ballot facility.

Procedure to be followed:

Any absentee voter wishing to vote by postal ballot has to make an application to the returning officer in Form-12D, giving all requisite particulars and get the application verified by the nodal officer appointed by the organisation concerned.

• Any voter opting for postal ballot facility would not be able to cast a vote at the polling station.

Currently, the following voters are also allowed to cast their votes through postal ballot:

1. Service voters (armed forces, the armed police force of a state and government servants posted abroad),
2. Voters on election duty,
3. Voters above 80 years of age or Persons with Disabilities (PwD),
4. Voters under preventive detention.

What is postal voting?

A restricted set of voters can exercise postal voting. Through this facility, a voter can cast her vote remotely by recording her preference on the ballot paper and sending it back to the election officer before counting.

Representation of the People Act, 1951:

This act provides for the actual conduct of elections in India. It deals with the following matters:

1. Details like Qualification and Disqualification of members of both the Houses of Parliament and the State Legislatures.
2. Administrative machinery for conducting elections.
3. Registration of Political parties.
4. Conduct of Elections.
5. Election Disputes.
6. Corrupt practices & Electoral offences.
7. By-elections.