Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Mar 19: The Election Commission of India has issued directives enabling senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PwDs), service voters, and voters on election duty to cast their votes via postal ballots in the forthcoming Assembly elections across four states and one Union Territory.
Under Section 60(c) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, electors above 85 years of age and PwDs flagged in the electoral rolls may exercise this facility. Postal ballots must reach the concerned Returning Officers by 8 a.m. on the counting day, May 4, 2026. Eligible voters can apply using Form-12 D, submitted to their RO through booth-level officers within five days of election notification.
Polling teams will collect postal ballots directly from voters’ homes according to schedules prepared by the respective ROs and shared with contesting candidates.
Voters serving in essential services—including fire, health, electricity, traffic, ambulance, aviation, and government road transport corporations—can apply for postal ballots through their designated nodal officers. Media personnel authorised for poll day coverage are also entitled to postal voting as absentee voters.
Service voters will receive ballots electronically via the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System, at no cost to the voter. Voters on election duty will submit their ballots at facilitation centres, ensuring secrecy of the vote.
ECI Deputy Director P. Pawan confirmed that Returning Officers and District Election Officers have been instructed to brief political parties and candidates about these provisions.
Regarding the election schedule, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar stated:
• Assam and Keralam: Single-phase polling on April 9.
• Puducherry: April 9.
• Tamil Nadu: All 234 seats in a single phase on April 23.
• West Bengal: Two-phase polling; 152 seats on April 23, remaining 142 seats on April 29.
Results for all elections will be announced on May 4, 2026.