CHENNAI: Election Commission has released the procedures to be followed while casting votes through postal ballots. The facility has been made available for elderly voters and COVID-19 patients.
The EC said polling officials visiting the houses of the voters will be provided with police security and the entire exercise will be videographed to ensure that elections are held in a free and fair manner. The candidates or their representatives can watch the entire process, Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo said in a press note.
Returning Officers will scrutinise the applications received for availing postal ballot facility, following which the date and approximate time of visit by poll officials will be intimated to the voters. The candidates shall also be informed about it. A micro observer will accompany the teams of poll officers. The applicants will have only two chances to cast their votes.
Errata
In the story titled 'Firebrand orator, 'clean' leader, and head of a crumbling party' that appeared in these columns on March 14, it read that, in 1994, M Karunanidhi had accused Vaiko and LTTE of joining hands to assassinate him.
However, Karunanidhi had accused the LTTE of plotting to eliminate him in order to help Vaiko, and the year was 1993. Also, Vaiko was not expelled from DMK as mentioned in the report, but floated his own party MDMK.