Postal ballot facility

In this facility, a voter can cast her vote remotely by recording her preference on the ballot paper and sending it back to the election officer before counting. A restricted set of voters can exercise postal voting.

Members of the armed forces like the Army, Navy and Air Force, members of the armed police force of a state (serving outside the state), government employees posted outside India and their spouses are entitled to vote only by post.
Voters under preventive detention can also vote only by post.
Special voters such as the President of India, Vice President, Governors, Union Cabinet ministers, Speaker of the House and government officers on poll duty also have the option to vote by post.
Absentee voters: Last year, the Law Ministry, at the Election Commission’s behest, introduced a new category of ‘absentee voters’, who can now also opt for postal voting. These are voters employed in essential services and unable to cast their vote due to their service conditions. Currently, officials of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, Northern Railway (Passenger and Freight) Services and media persons are notified as absentee voters.

The Returning Officer is supposed to print ballot papers within 24 hours of the last date of nomination withdrawal and dispatch them within a day.
This is done so that the ballot papers reach the concerned voter well before the polling date and she has enough time to send it back before the counting day.
Postal ballot papers for members of the Armed Forces are sent through their record offices.
For members of the armed police force of a state (serving outside the state), government employees posted outside India and their spouses, the ballot paper can be sent through post or electronically.
For remaining categories ballot papers can be delivered personally or through the post.

Recently, the Election Commission of India (ECI) wrote to the Law Ministry, proposing to extend the facility of postal ballots to overseas non-resident Indians (NRIs) for the Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal in 2021.

The Election Commission of India announced that postal ballot facility for overseas Indian voters will not be available in the five Assembly elections to be held in March and April.

Prior to 2010, an Indian citizen who is an eligible voter and was residing abroad for more than six months owing to employment, education or otherwise, would not have been able to vote in elections. This was because the NRI’s name was deleted from electoral rolls if he or she stayed outside the country for more than six months at a stretch.
After the passing of the Representation of the People (Amendment) Act, 2010, eligible NRIs who had stayed abroad beyond six months have been enabled to vote, but only in person at the polling station where they have been enrolled as an overseas elector.
Yet, the provision of having to visit the polling booth in person has discouraged eligible voters from exercising their mandate. Only a very low proportion of eligible overseas residents actually registered or turned up to vote.

Today Current Affairs Upsc Exam Syllabus & Previous Yearpaper.