What’s in the news?

• • The Election Commission of India (ECI), for the first time in a Lok Sabha Election, has provided the ‘vote-from-home’ (VfH) facility for the elderly and Persons with Disabilities in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
  • Now, voters above 85 years of age and PwDs with 40% benchmark disability can choose to vote from home.
  • Over 81 lakh voters are aged 85 or above, and there are more than 90 lakh registered PwD voters across the country.
  • This process involves a full team of polling staff and security personnel, ensuring the secrecy of voting is maintained.

• The new initiative upholds the ECI’s motto of ensuring – No voter is left behind.

Voting Process

• Eligible voters must complete Form 12D (Application for postal ballot facility) within five days of the election notification and submit it to the returning officer. PwD voters need to include a baseline disability certificate with their applications.
• A dedicated team, including polling officials and security personnel, visits the voter’s residence to collect their votes. The entire process is recorded for transparency.