Vote from home begins in Kottayam

Purushothaman Hegde, 95, and his 88-year-old wife Sarojini Bai casting their votes under the absentee voters scheme for the Lok Sabha elections from their residence in Kumaranallur, Kottayam, on Monday. | Photo Credit: VISHNU PRATHAP

The vote from home exercise meant for senior citizens aged above 85 years and differently-abled voters began in Kottayam on Monday.

A total of 15,036 individuals have applied to vote from home under the absentee category in the district, with 10,792 being over 85 years of age and 4,244 being differently abled.

As per estimates, the first phase is scheduled to run till April 19. Specially designated polling teams will be assigned to visit the homes of eligible voters who have applied under category 12D, allowing them to exercise their voting rights. For those unable to vote during the initial phase, the polling teams will conduct a second phase of home visits from April 20 to 24 to record their votes. A buffer date of April 25 has been allocated for voters who may have missed out on both phases.

The Election Commission has introduced the option of vote from home for individuals over 85 years of age and those with disabilities exceeding 40 percent, designating them as absentee voters. Under the system, voters will receive notifications from the assistant returning officers detailing when they are expected to cast their votes. This information will also be shared with candidates and booth level officers in advance to ensure a smooth process. Each polling team will consist of two officers, a micro-observer, a videographer, and a security officer to oversee the voting process and maintain confidentiality.