Lok Sabha elections: 26% of service voters in Bihar cast votes in 2014
TNN | Updated: Mar 18, 2019, 09:36 IST
Representative imageBy: Saloni Vats
PATNA: ‘No voter to be left behind’, the initiative taken by the Election Commission of India (ECI), fits on the postal ballot concept that allows service voters staying out of their homes to exercise their franchise in the coming parliamentary elections.
About 26% of the service voters in Bihar (19,327) out of the total 72,808 such voters, had exercised their franchise in the 2014 general election. This time as well, around 1,32,059 out of the total 7,06,03778 registered service voters in the state are all set to exercise their franchise and let their voice count in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.
Postal ballot is a special voting arrangement for people who are employed with the armed forces, paramilitary forces, diplomats residing abroad along with their spouses and those who are deployed on election duty.
Sources in the chief electoral office (CEO), Bihar, said for the first time in the history of general election, postal ballot will be sent through electronically transmitted postal ballot system (ETPBS). “Though the mechanism has been used in bypolls held in the past, but it is being used for the first time in general election this time,” said B N Jha, deputy chief electoral officer, Bihar.
“This time, the postal ballot will be sent to the record office of the respective service voter through ETPBS, unlike in past elections when postal ballots were sent through post. The service voter will then cast his vote and send it back through post,” he said.
Those deployed on election duty are handed over their postal ballots on the last day of their training for the elections. The officers then cast their vote, which is kept protected in respective district offices. The postal ballot is sent to the service voter within 24 hours of the withdrawal of nomination papers in their particular constituency.
A few service voters, however, claimed that they miss the opportunity to exercise their franchise many a time despite postal ballot system. Munger resident Arvind Kumar, who is posted in New Delhi as head constable with Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), said, “When you are a part of the armed forces, there is no certainty of your posting during election period. Hence, voting through postal ballot is not possible in such situations.” Kumar added, “Since I have a stable posting in New Delhi, I will ensure this time that I cast my vote.”
There are others who think that postal ballots play a decisive role for candidates in the elections. Amit Kumar Mishra of Jamui, who is posted at an Indian Air Force base in Chandigarh, said, “There has been an instance of a candidate winning by the margin of only six votes, which shows that every single vote counts. We can’t just crib about government doing nothing for the welfare of citizens. Instead, we should participate in the election process and let our vote count.”
PATNA: ‘No voter to be left behind’, the initiative taken by the Election Commission of India (ECI), fits on the postal ballot concept that allows service voters staying out of their homes to exercise their franchise in the coming parliamentary elections.
About 26% of the service voters in Bihar (19,327) out of the total 72,808 such voters, had exercised their franchise in the 2014 general election. This time as well, around 1,32,059 out of the total 7,06,03778 registered service voters in the state are all set to exercise their franchise and let their voice count in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.
Postal ballot is a special voting arrangement for people who are employed with the armed forces, paramilitary forces, diplomats residing abroad along with their spouses and those who are deployed on election duty.
Sources in the chief electoral office (CEO), Bihar, said for the first time in the history of general election, postal ballot will be sent through electronically transmitted postal ballot system (ETPBS). “Though the mechanism has been used in bypolls held in the past, but it is being used for the first time in general election this time,” said B N Jha, deputy chief electoral officer, Bihar.
“This time, the postal ballot will be sent to the record office of the respective service voter through ETPBS, unlike in past elections when postal ballots were sent through post. The service voter will then cast his vote and send it back through post,” he said.
Those deployed on election duty are handed over their postal ballots on the last day of their training for the elections. The officers then cast their vote, which is kept protected in respective district offices. The postal ballot is sent to the service voter within 24 hours of the withdrawal of nomination papers in their particular constituency.
A few service voters, however, claimed that they miss the opportunity to exercise their franchise many a time despite postal ballot system. Munger resident Arvind Kumar, who is posted in New Delhi as head constable with Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), said, “When you are a part of the armed forces, there is no certainty of your posting during election period. Hence, voting through postal ballot is not possible in such situations.” Kumar added, “Since I have a stable posting in New Delhi, I will ensure this time that I cast my vote.”
There are others who think that postal ballots play a decisive role for candidates in the elections. Amit Kumar Mishra of Jamui, who is posted at an Indian Air Force base in Chandigarh, said, “There has been an instance of a candidate winning by the margin of only six votes, which shows that every single vote counts. We can’t just crib about government doing nothing for the welfare of citizens. Instead, we should participate in the election process and let our vote count.”
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