March 19, New Delhi - The Election Commission of India (ECI) will facilitate postal ballot voting for elderly persons, Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), service voters, and voters on election duty in the upcoming Assembly Elections.
ECI announced the schedule for the General Election to the Legislative Assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, along with bye-elections in six states on March 15, 2026. Notifications were issued for Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry on March 16, 2026, as per the schedule.
According to Section 60(c) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the Commission has notified that electors above the age of 85 years and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) listed in the electoral rolls may cast their vote through postal ballot.
Such electors can avail this facility using Form 12D and submitting it to the Returning Officer through their Booth Level Officer (BLO) within five days of the notification of the election. Polling teams will collect their votes at their homes, as per a schedule to be prepared by the respective Returning Officers and shared with the candidates.
Electors engaged in essential services on the date of the poll can apply for the postal ballot facility through the designated nodal officer of their respective department. Essential services covered under this include Fire Services, Health, Electricity, Traffic, Ambulance Services, Aviation, and long-distance Government Road Transport Corporations.
Media persons authorized by the Election Commission for poll day coverage have also been included in the category of absentee voters on essential services and are entitled to the postal ballot facility.
A voter on election duty will receive a postal ballot, record their vote, and return it at the facilitation center. The ECI has issued directions to ensure that voting is conducted with complete secrecy at the facilitation center.
Service voters will be sent their postal ballots electronically by the Returning Officer through the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS), immediately after the finalization of the list of contesting candidates. Service voters are not required to bear the cost of postal services.
The postal ballots cast must reach the concerned Returning Officers (ROs) by 8:00 AM on the date of counting of votes, i.e., May 4, 2026. Returning Officers/District Election Officers have also been directed to brief political parties and contesting candidates regarding these provisions.
(Source: Election Commission)
(File Photo)