Haryana polls: 147 elderly, disabled voters opt to vote from home in Panchkula
With increased awareness, as many as 147 voters in Panchkula district have opted for the vote from home facility, being offered to voters aged over 85 and persons with over 40% disability for the upcoming Haryana assembly polls.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) had introduced home voting for the first time in the Lok Sabha elections held in May this year.
However, back then, only 25 voters from Panchkula had exercised their right to franchise from home. These included eight from the Kalka assembly segment and 17 from the Panchkula assembly segment. In all 9,053 voters were eligible for the facility in Panchkula district, but only 27 had opted for it. Out of these 27 applications, two were rejected, as the voters could not provide certificate of disability.
Deputy commissioner and district election officer Yash Garg, said, “This time, we have received 147 Form 12-D applications from elderly and disabled voters, seeking home voting facility.”
“In Kalka assembly segment, 51 voters, including 26 differently abled and 25 elderly, have opted for it, while in Panchkula assembly segment, 96 voters, including eight disabled and 25 elderly, have chosen to vote from home,” said Garg.
He said a team appointed by the returning officer will visit these voters to facilitate the voting process. This team will include a videographer and police personnel to ensure the process adheres to ECI guidelines and maintains voting secrecy. The entire procedure will be videographed.
109-year-old Rajo oldest voter in district
As per administration’s records, the oldest voter in the district is aged 109. In all, 166 voters in the district are over 100 years old, out of which 84 are in Kalka and 82 in Panchkula.
Sharing details, Garg said 109-year-old Rajo, a resident of Barwala village, and 100-year-old Chhajju. a resident of Asarewali village, were the oldest voters in Panchkula segment.
In Kalka, 104-year-old Shanti of Gholpura village, 102-year-old Dropati of Bojtipra village and 103-year-old Bachani Devi of Samlehri village were the oldest.
