Vote-from-Home : ECI
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has, for the first time in the history of the Lok Sabha elections, extended its ‘vote-from-home’ facility to Persons with Disabilities (PwD) and senior citizens aged 85 and above.
Eligiblility:
- People aged 85 and above
- Persons with Disabilities: The disability shall not be less than 40% of the prescribed handicap and certified by the certifying authority.
- Media persons covering ‘polling day activities’: Carrying authorisation letters from the Election Commission
Workers from essential services: Services such as metros, railways and health care - Service voters: Personnel of the armed forces posted away from their hometowns, Central Armed Police Forces personnel deployed away from home and those on poll duty.
- Key to the process is Form 12D, which is a letter informing the Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) that the person may not be in a position to go to the polling station to vote.
- The form can be downloaded online from the ECI website or collected from the office of the representative district officer of a parliamentary constituency.
- The form has to be filled and submitted within five days of notification of the polling date. Once filed, two polling officials, accompanied by a videographer and a security person, will visit the elector’s home and oversee the postal ballot voting process.
- The voter will receive an intimation about the date and approximate time of visit via SMS or through post.
- The home voting option will be attempted twice.
