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The counting of votes for all 288 Maharashtra Assembly seats and 81 Jharkhand Assembly seats began at 8 am on Saturday. As the Election Commission of India (ECI) begins this task, the first votes to be counted will be those casted through postal ballots. What are postal ballots and how do they form early trends in electoral states? Let’s find out.
What are postal ballots?
Postal ballots, also known as mail-in ballots, allow registered voters to vote by mail instead of visiting a polling station. This system is designed for individuals unable to vote in person due to reasons such as being away from their home constituency, those with certain disabilities, or performing essential services on election day.
In the last decade however, the ECI has also provided the option for eligible voters to cast postal ballots electronically.
What is the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System?
The Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS) was introduced in 2016 by the ECI to facilitate voting for service personnel and other eligible voters outside their home constituencies electronically. The system ensures that eligible voters can participate in the electoral process without depending on physical ballot transmission.
The e-Postal Ballot is a password-protected PDF sent to the voter’s unit officer, while a separate PIN is provided by the record officer. Voters must collect both, print the ballot, follow instructions to cast their vote, and return it by post. This system has significantly improved voter turnout among service personnel, increasing it from 3-4 per cent in 2014 to over 60 per cent in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, according to the ECI. Figures for the 2024 elections are not available.
Who is eligible to use postal ballots?
Eligible voters for postal ballots include:
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- Service voters: Members of the armed forces, paramilitary forces, and government employees on election duty.
- Absentee voters: Those unable to vote in person due to work commitments, illness, or disability.
- Electors on election duty: Government officials and polling staff stationed outside their constituencies.
- Electors under preventive detention: Individuals detained during the election period.
- Essential services workers: Media personnel, healthcare workers, and metro/railway staff involved in polling day activities.
- Persons with disabilities (PwDs): As of 2020, PwDs can vote via postal ballot.
- Senior citizens (80+ years): Those aged 80 or older were included after an amendment in 2019.
What is the process for postal voting?
1. Receiving the postal ballot: Voters apply for postal ballots once the election notification is issued. The Returning Officer (RO) sends the ballot paper, declaration form, secrecy sleeve, and a pre-paid return envelope to the voter’s address.
2. Marking the ballot: Voters mark their preferred candidate(s) on the ballot paper. The marked ballot is placed inside the secrecy sleeve to ensure confidentiality.
3. Completing the declaration form: Voters fill out the form with their signature and other required details
4. Sealing the envelope: The secrecy sleeve and declaration form are placed in the pre-paid return envelope.
5. Returning the postal ballot: The envelope is mailed to the designated address before the specified deadline.
What is the timeline for postal ballots?
The application process begins after the election notification. Verified applications lead to the distribution of postal ballots. Voters must return the completed ballots before the vote counting date, adhering to the election schedule set by the ECI.
How are postal ballots counted?
Postal ballots are counted separately from in-person votes. On counting day, postal ballots are collected by the postal department and scrutinised by election officials for validity.
Early trends during counting of votes are generally determined by postal ballots. As postal ballot voters have a larger time frame to cast their vote, this can impact early trends. The final voter turnout for elections can only be determined after postal ballots have been counted.
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