ECI’s directives regarding issuance of postal ballots

\\\Bhopal: Election Commission has issued directives regarding issuance of postal ballots to persons on polling duty. Office of the Chief Electoral Officer has informed all district election officers about these directives and guidelines. Commission’s attention was drawn towards difficulties faced in use of postal ballots. It came to the fore mainly that postal ballots fail to reach returning officers in time. With this in view, the commission has decided to make this process transparent and convenient. This information is being given to polling staff during training.

Facility of casting votes through postal ballots is given to officers and employees on poll duty in the constituencies where they are not voters. These include micro observers posted in the offices of district election officers, returning officers, control rooms and other offices, all police and home guard personnel, drivers, cleaners and helpers of vehicles on election duty.

The commission has also directed to prepare database of polling staff.