lok-sabha-elections-voting-from-home-for-pwds-and-seniors-over-85-years-j-k

To increase participation in the upcoming Lok Sabha in Jammu and Kashmir, the Election Commission of India announced that over 1.50 lakh Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) and senior citizens above 85 years of age can avail of the home voting facility during the General Elections 2024.

Electoral data reveals that there are 77,613 Persons with disabilities and 77,045 senior citizens aged 85 and above in the Union Territory.

These voters need not face the hassle of travelling to Polling Stations if their health or other circumstances don't permit, as they can simply avail of the home voting facility for the first time.

Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will obtain consent from Persons with Disabilities and senior citizens, and two polling officials accompanied by a videographer and a security person will visit the voter's home to enable them to vote through a postal ballot.

An official said, "Such voters will be informed in advance about the date and approximate time of the visit of election officials by an SMS to the mobile number mentioned in the application."

However, Eligibility to cast a vote through a postal ballot requires an elector to be marked in the electoral roll database and have a benchmark disability certificate, certified by the concerned authority under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.

The officer further clarified, "An elector, while applying Form 12D, has to enclose the copy of the benchmark disability certificate with it." Senior citizens above 85 years of age do not need to provide any additional certificates.

In addition to the home voting facility, arrangements have been made for comfortable voting at Polling Stations.

Polling Stations for these two categories of voters will be on the ground floor, with facilities like ramps, waiting areas, wheelchairs, first aid, and accessible toilets in place.

According to official data, the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has a total of 86,92,646 electors, with a slightly higher number of male voters than female voters in most districts, except for Pulwama, where the number of female voters exceeds male voters.