BHUBANESWAR: Voting from home for the elderly and persons with disabilities (PwDs) has begun in several districts under Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Berhampur and Koraput constituencies that will go to polls in the fourth phase (first phase for Odisha) on May 13.
As a part of the drive to ensure accessible and inclusive voting in the state, three polling officials, a police personnel and booth level officer visited voters’ houses with a postal ballot which was used by the voters to cast his or her votes. Official sources said voting from home in all blocks of Kalahandi district began on Friday while blocks in districts of Nuapada, Koraput and Kalahandi were covered on Saturday. Subsequently, the process will begin in Ganjam district.
As per reports of CEO, 4,158 PwDs and senior citizens aged 85 and above (categorised as very senior citizens) across 28 Assembly segments under the four constituencies have opted for voting from home for the May 13 polls. While 2,196 are aged above 85, 1,962 are PwDs. The highest number of such voters in both the categories are from Kalahandi constituency.
For logistical convenience, this time, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has extended the ‘vote-from-home’ facility to PwDs and very senior citizens. Very senior citizens and PwDs with 40 per cent benchmark disability can still avail the optional home voting facility. However, these voters will not be eligible to cast their votes physically at the booths.
On the occasion, chief electoral officer Nikunja Dhal congratulated voters who cast their votes from home and said it is a historic move. Official sources said voting from home for the fifth phase - Bargarh, Sundargarh, Balangir, Kandhamal and Aska - will begin soon.
In Odisha, there are 3.02 lakh senior citizens who are aged 85 and above and 4.57 lakh PwDs. Last month, district administrations had launched door-to-door campaigns to provide ‘form 12D’, a letter informing the assistant returning officer that the person may not be in a position to go to the polling station and should be allowed to vote in their homes, to very senior citizens and PwDs.