Law Ministry notifies new category of absentee voters for postal ballot

On October 22, the Law Ministry amended the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, to extend the facility of postal ballots to people who are unable to cast their vote because of service conditions.

According to the gazette notification, an absentee voter is someone who is employed in “essential services”. The EC will notify which jobs and professions are covered under “essential services” after consulting the government, The Indian Express has learnt.

The amendment comes after the EC wrote to the Law Ministry two months ago proposing that voters on duty in fields such as aviation, shipping, Railways, emergency services, those employed in long-distance road transport, the elderly, the physically-challenged, and journalists covering elections should be allowed to vote by postal ballot in upcoming Assembly elections.

The EC’s letter, as first reported by The Indian Express on September 5, had justified the recommendation to expand the above category of special voters stating that “it is necessary to explore all avenues to enable exercise of franchise by all eligible voters”.

“The government has accepted our request and paved the way for it by notifying a new category of voters. Now, the EC, from time-to-time, can notify the jobs and professions that will be covered under this category,” said a senior EC official, who did not wish to be identified.