In a pathbreaking initiative, the Election Commission of India (ECI), for the first time in a Lok Sabha Election, has provided the facility of home voting for the elderly and Persons with Disabilities in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Voters above 85 years of age and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) with 40% benchmark disability can avail the optional home voting facility.
Voters in this category have already began casting their votes for phase I and II of polling.
This initiative marks a significant stride towards ensuring inclusivity and accessibility of the electoral process and in bolstering democratic participation.
There are over 81 lakh 85+ aged voters and 90 lakh + PwD voters registered across the country.
Procedure
The procedure to avail this facility is simple yet thorough.
Within five days of the election notification, eligible voters must complete Form 12D and submit it to the returning officer.
PwD voters submit a baseline disability certificate with their applications.
Booth Level Officer (BLO) is responsible for retrieving Form 12D from the elector's place of residence when the required documentation has been completed.
Candidates receive a list of these electors in order to maintain accountability and transparency; if they wish, they can choose a representative to supervise the process.
Following this, a dedicated team of polling officials along with security officials visits the voter's residence to collect their votes.
Crucially, voters are notified ahead of time of the planned visit, allowing them to be prepared to exercise their right to vote in a safe and comfortable manner.
To further expedite the procedure and improve accessibility, voters can also receive notifications via SMS about the days when their home voting facility will be active.
The complete process is videographed for transparency.
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