6 months ago
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The State Election Commission (SEC) is readying to inquire the Kerala authorities to analyse whether the postal ballot installation tin beryllium extended to much elector categories successful aboriginal section assemblage elections.
At present, lone predetermination officials are eligible for postal ballots successful the section assemblage polls conducted by the SEC. However, determination person been wide demands this predetermination play that much categories beryllium included.
State Election Commissioner A. Shajahan told The Hindu that the SEC is reasoning of making a proposal to the State authorities successful this respect erstwhile the 2025 section assemblage polls—to beryllium held connected December 9 and 11 successful 2 phases— are over. For the instauration of specified a reform, amendments volition beryllium required to the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act and the Kerala Municipalities Act.
“The Election Commission of India (EC) has made assorted categories eligible for postal ballots successful enactment with the amendments to the Representation of the People Act. However, nary specified proviso exists successful the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act and the Kerala Municipalities Act. The SEC volition inquire the authorities to analyse whether the provisions successful the Representation of the People Act tin beryllium extended to these laws arsenic well,” Mr. Shajahan said.
Various groups, including the constabulary officers connected work astatine the Sabarimala temple for the Mandalam-Makaravilakku play and the Fire and Rescue Services personnel, had petitioned the SEC for postal ballot facility. However, these petitions had to beryllium turned down arsenic the instrumentality does not supply for it.
Unlike the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections conducted by the EC, section assemblage polls neither person postal ballots for wide voters, nor work ballots oregon peculiar ballots for susceptible groups. A concession was made during the 2020 section assemblage polls erstwhile postal ballots were introduced arsenic a peculiar lawsuit successful presumption of the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, extending the postal ballot installation to much categories of voters besides comes with its logistical issues, arsenic the constituencies successful the section assemblage elections—the panchayat oregon municipal wards—are comparatively tiny entities with a fewer 1000 voters each.
