Tripura: Senior citizens and specially challenged people can vote from home from April 9

From Tuesday, people aged 85 years and above and with disabilities can now have the option to cast their votes from the comfort of their homes, said West Tripura District Election Officer (DEO) and Returning Officer (RO) Vishal Kumar.

District Election Officer (DEO) and Returning Officer (RO) Kumar emphasized the importance of the initiative and stated that the Election Commission of India has the motto that every vote matters.

Kumar emphasized the painstaking preparation involved, including compiling a list of voters aged 85 and above and persons with disabilities.

“The Election Commission of India has a motto that every vote matters. For this, we have prepared a list of voters aged 85+ years and PwD people and received claim forms from them before March 25. Now, from April 9, “their votes will be collected from their homes,” said Vishal Kumar.

Earlier, the Election Commission announced ‘vote-from-home’ facilities for citizens above 85 years of age and persons with disabilities for the Lok Sabha elections.

The commission said voters over the age of 85 and persons with 40 percent disability can vote from home. The committee said that volunteers and wheelchairs will be deployed at polling stations and transportation facilities for persons with disabilities and elderly persons will be arranged.

Kumar emphasized the importance of such initiatives to ensure inclusion of all voters.

“It is a great facility of the ECI for the PwD voters and the 85+ voters; these types of initiatives will have a major impact on the importance of the elections for all such voters. And I expect that everyone will participate in this home vote and for this the training has already been given to all designated persons. All political parties also support us in all aspects in this regard,” Vishal Kumar said.

“About 5,000 voters have opted to vote at home, and the process will begin on April 9. In West Tripura Lok Sabha constituency, home voting will take place on April 10 and 12,” he added.

Tripura’s Chief Electoral Officer Puneet Agarwal termed voting at home an important step towards increasing voter turnout nationwide.

“Home voting is an important step by the Election Commission of India to increase the voting percentage across the country. During the last Assembly elections, there was home voting and now, during the Lok Sabha elections in Tripura, home voting has started,” he said. Puneet Agarwal. said.

Agarwal outlined the specific dates for home voting in various constituencies.

“The home voting for the 1-West Tripura Lok Sabha constituency election and the 7-Ramnagar by-election will take place on April 10 and 12. And for the 2-East Tripura Lok Sabha constituency election, the home voting dates are April 17 and 18,” he added .

Puneet Agarwal praised the Election Commission for measures such as voting at home.

“Voters aged 85 years and above and those who are facing various difficulties in reaching the polling stations to cast their votes, the Election Commission of India has taken such special measures to take away their precious votes from their homes only. The polling stations will be movable. to their homes along with polling agents, chairpersons, representatives of all candidates and security guards,” Puneet Agarwal said.

Detailing the demographics of the eligible voters, Agarwal revealed that around 4580 voters in West Tripura constituency and 4760 voters in East Tripura constituency have opted for home voting out of a total of 85+ years old and Divyangjan voters.

“It is very important that the Divyangjan population must be 40% or more disabled to be enrolled in the electoral roll and benefit from the facilities of home voting,” Puneet Agarwal said.

The elections will be held in two phases in the state. The West Tripura seat will go to polls on April 19, while the East Tripura seat will witness voting on April 26.

First print: April 6, 2024 | 8:14 am IST