DEO Srinagar flags-off Polling Teams for ‘Vote from Home’ facilitation of senior citizens (85+) & PwDs

Home Voting facility provides opportunity to Senior Citizens & PwDs to exercise cast their vote from home: Dr. Bilal

About 300 eligible willing/ consented voters exercised franchise using Postal Ballot at their respective homes/places

SRINAGAR, May 07: Ahead of Polling for Srinagar Lok Sabha Seat, the District Election Officer (DEO) Srinagar, Dr. Bilal Mohi-Ud-Din Bhat, who is also the Returning Officer (RO) for 02-Srinagar Parliamentary Constituency today flagged-off Polling Teams for ‘Vote from Home’ facilitation of senior citizens and PwDs of Srinagar District from the DC Office Complex, here.

Nodal Officer, SVEEP (J&K), Athar Hussain Qazi; Deputy District Election Officer, Srinagar, Mir Imtiyaz ul Aziz; Nodal Officer SVEEP, A.H Fani and other Senior Officials of District Administration and District Election Authority were present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, the DEO Srinagar briefed that the Polling teams will facilitate Vote from Home (VfH) for the eligible Elderly Voters and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in connection with the upcoming Lok Sabha Election-2024 in respect of all Eight (08) Assembly Segments in 02-Srinagar Parliamentary Constituency.

He added that altogether about 292 eligible willing voters of the District including 202 Senior Citizens who are above 85 years and 90 Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) will exercise their franchise using postal ballots at their respective homes/places. The DEO further said that the Election Commission of India (ECI) has taken a historic initiative which is a major step towards promoting inclusive and accessible elections by extending the Vote from Home facility to senior citizens above 85 years and PwDs.

He underlined that Home Voting facility has provided an opportunity for several senior citizens and PwDs to exercise their right to vote through postal ballots in Lok Sabha Election-2024 minimizing their difficulties of travelling to the Polling Stations.

The DEO said that the facility has helped in promoting equal opportunities for all and ensuring that no one is left behind in the electoral process.

He further added that Eighteen (18) Polling teams each consisting of one Polling Officer, one polling official, a Micro-observer, a videographer and a team of security personnel began visiting the houses of the willing Voters (who have given consent to the District Election Office) since today morning and has been scheduled for 7th, 08th and 9th May, 2024.

He instructed the polling teams to take utmost care to ensure free and fair voting adhering strictly to the instructions and guidelines of the Election Commission of India.

Earlier, the DEO held a meeting cum interaction session with all the eighteen (18) Polling teams in the Meeting Hall of the DC Office Complex and flagged-off the teams for Vote from Home facilitation in Srinagar District.