HYDERABAD: Polling for absentee voters in the senior citizens category (80 years of age and above) (AVSC) and persons with disabilities (AVPD) through postal ballot has commenced in the Secunderabad Assembly constituency. This process will also be implemented in the remaining segments within the Hyderabad district.
Election authorities are making house visits to AVSCs and AVPDs who have chosen to cast their votes through postal ballots (Form 12D) in the upcoming Assembly polls. A total of 46 teams have been set up to cover the 15 constituencies in the Hyderabad district. The home voting exercise is expected to be completed within two days. In Hyderabad district, 857 citizens, including AVSCs, AVPDs, voters on duty in essential services (AVES) and Covid-19 infected electors (AVCO), have opted to vote via postal ballot.
Majority of approved applicants from Khairatabad
Authorities received a total of 966 applications (Form 12D) from AVSC and AVPD voters across the 15 segments. Of these, 857 applications were approved, while 109 were rejected. No applications were submitted under the AVES and AVCO categories.
The majority of approved applications came from the Khairatabad Assembly constituency (160), followed by Jubilee Hills (125), Nampally (123), Malakpet (78), and Karwan (75). Conversely, the fewest applications were received from Bahadurpura (11), Goshamahal (15), Secunderabad (16), Sanathnagar (17), and Musheerabad (25).
Election authorities told TNIE that senior citizens and PwDs who are absentee voters applied for postal ballots by submitting Form 12D to the Returning Officers (ROs) of their respective constituencies, providing all necessary details. The ROs then shared a printed hardcopy list of approved applications in Form 12D for postal ballots with the contesting candidates of recognised political parties. The postal ballot paper for absentee voters will be in the same form and language as the postal ballot paper for voters on election day.
Special teams to visit houses of approved electors
Specialised teams comprising poll officers and staff have been formed for this purpose. These teams will visit electors at the addresses mentioned in their Form 12D applications to facilitate voting via postal ballot. Electors will receive prior notification of the date and approximate time of the poll officials’ visit, either through SMS (if the mobile phone number is provided in the application) or through other means such as post or through Booth Level Officers (BLOs).
If an elector is not present during the first visit, the team will schedule a second visit after providing intimation about the time. If the elector is still absent during the second visit, no further action will be taken. Officials said that each polling team is responsible for issuing postal ballots, briefing electors on the voting procedure, ensuring the secrecy and integrity of voting and overseeing all activities at the elector’s residence.
To facilitate these tasks, polling teams have been equipped with lists of AVSC and AVPD electors, an ample supply of postal ballot papers, envelopes, pens, ink-pads (for thumb impressions where required), glue sticks for sealing envelopes, large canvas bags for storing the envelopes and counterfoils, and other essential stationery.
Complete distribution of VIS by Nov 23: DEO
Speed up the distribution Voter Information Slips (VIS) and ensure that the process is completed by November 23, Hyderabad District Electoral Officer D Ronald Rose instructed to the sector officers on Monday. During a training programme, the DEO asked sector officers to oversee the distribution of VIS by the BLOs as per the instructions of the ECI and ensure that the information sent to the ROs concerned through BLO app