AMENDMENTS IN POSTAL BALLOT SYSTEM
CONTEXT
- Recently, the Law Ministry has reduced the age limit for senior citizens who opt for postal
- ballot in the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.
KEY POINTS
- Now, the voters aged above 65 years or a Covid-19 suspect can opt for postal ballot.
- Earlier, in 2019, the Law Ministry had amended the Conduct of Election Rules to
- allow persons with disabilities and those who are 80 years of age or above to opt for postal
- ballot during Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.
- Voters of Bihar will be the first to benefit from the amended rules, since Bihar will be the
- first state to have assembly polls after the coronavirus outbreak in India.
- POSTAL BALLOT SYSTEM
- Ballot papers are distributed electronically to electors and are returned to the election officers
- via post.
- Currently, only the following voters are allowed to cast their votes through postal ballot:
o Service voters (armed forces, the armed police force of a state and government servants
posted abroad),
o Voters on election duty,
o Voters above 80 years of age or Persons with Disabilities (PwD),
o Voters under preventive detention