The Election Commission of India (ECI) has recently launched a vote-from-home initiative for those unable to visit polling stations due to age or other reasons. This measure aims to make the election process more inclusive and accessible for Persons with Disabilities (PwD) and senior citizens aged 85 and above.
It is estimated that this initiative will enable more than 85 lakh senior citizens and 88.4 lakh persons with disabilities to cast their votes.
As of March 10, 2024, there are 81,87,999 senior citizen electors above 85 years and 2,18,442 electors above 100 years in the country, according to the election commission.
The Union Law Ministry amended the Conduct of Elections Rules-1961 to redefine the eligibility for the postal ballot facility, changing it from those “above 80 years” to those “above 85 years.”
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said, “Generally, the tendency has been that the senior citizens want to participate in the process and walk to the booth. But this time, we have given them options to vote in their homes.”
A first-of-its-kind home-voting facility for elderly individuals and people with disabilities has been introduced in two Mumbai constituencies. In total, 543 senior citizens and nine differently-abled people from the Mumbai South and Mumbai South Central constituencies cast their votes from home on May 14 and 15 during the fifth phase.
According to the ECI, citizens who opt for the home voting facility will not be eligible to cast their vote at the polling station.
The Lok Sabha elections are divided into seven phases, from April 19 to June 1. In total, 17.24 crore voters are eligible to cast their vote in this phase at around 1.85 lakh polling stations. The vote counting will take place on June 4.