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Senior Citizens and Persons with Disabilities Can Opt for Postal Ballots in Lok Sabha Polls 2024

Kalyani Jha
16 Mar, 2024

In a significant move aimed at enhancing accessibility and inclusivity in the electoral process, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar announced on Saturday that senior citizens aged above 85 years and persons with disabilities can opt for postal ballots to cast their votes from the comfort of their homes during the upcoming Lok Sabha polls scheduled to begin on April 19.

Enhancing Accessibility

Addressing the media, CEC Rajiv Kumar highlighted the importance of providing options for senior citizens and persons with disabilities to exercise their voting rights conveniently. "Generally, the tendency has been that senior citizens want to participate in the process and walk to the booth. But this time, we have given them options to vote in their homes," stated Kumar.

Schedule for Lok Sabha Polls 2024

The Lok Sabha polls for 2024 will be conducted in seven phases across the country, starting from April 19. The final phase of voting will take place on June 1. The results of the Lok Sabha Polls 2024 will be officially declared on June 4, marking the culmination of the electoral process.

Postal Ballot Facility for Eligible Voters

The facility of postal ballots can be availed by senior citizens aged above 85 years and persons with disabilities exceeding 40 per cent. To utilize this option, voters in these categories must submit Form 12 D to the Election Commission within five days of the release of the poll notification.

Amendment in Election Rules

The Union Law Ministry recently amended the Conduct of Elections Rules-1961 to redefine the eligibility criteria for senior citizens eligible for postal ballot facility, changing it from "above 80 years" to "above 85 years." This amendment reflects a proactive step towards accommodating the needs of elderly voters and persons with disabilities in the electoral process.

According to the latest data provided by the Election Commission, there are 81,87,999 senior citizen electors aged above 85 years and 2,18,442 electors aged above 100 years in the country as of March 10, 2024.