Hyderabad: Senior citizens and persons with disabilities in the city started voting on Friday, May 3, from their homes as part of the home voting initiative introduced by the Election Commission of India (ECI) for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Starting on Friday, voters who have requested home voting using Form 12-D can now cast their votes. Election officials will be visiting the homes of these voters to collect their ballots.
In Hyderabad, 112 out of 121 registered home voters cast their ballot on the first day and in Secunderabad, 65 out of the 385 cast their vote.
The process will end tomorrow, May 5.
Despite, the state having more than 190,000 voters aged 85 and older, along with 520,000 voters with disabilities. However, only around 23,000 have signed up for home voting.
The ECI has provided the option of home voting for voters above 85 years of age and persons with disabilities with 40% or more benchmark disability.
The home voting initiative has been well received as it upholds the ECI’s motto of ensuring “No voter is left behind.”
This facility allows these eligible voters to cast their votes from the comfort of their homes, without having to physically visit the polling stations.
The process involves the voter submitting Form 12D within 5 days of the election notification, after which a dedicated team of polling officials and security personnel visits the voter’s residence to collect their vote.
The entire process is videographed for transparency.
Postal ballots
Postal ballot voting for government employees also began on Friday, May 3, at the Voter Facilitation Centre in All Saints High School, Basheerbagh. 852 employees on election duty cast their ballot on the first day in Hyderabad for both the LS polls and the Secunderabad cantonment by-elections.
The postal ballot will continue until May 8. 19500 individuals have registered to vote via postal ballot in the state.
