Missing NRIs, No Anti-Incumbency or Disillusioned Voters? Punjab's Low Turnout Upsets Poll Arithmetic : #RashtraNews #Missing #NRIs #AntiIncumbency #Disillusioned #Voters #Punjabs #Turnout #Upsets #Poll #Arithmetic A significant 5.45 per cent drop in the voter turnout for the 2022 Punjab polls has left political parties and analysts baffled, with most of them trying to wrap their […]
No Postal Ballots for NRIs in Upcoming State Elections: CEC
Although the Election Commission had said last year that it would roll out the facility in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry elections, it now says the step cannot be taken yet.
Chief election commissioner of India Sunil Arora. Photo: Video screengrab
Government27/Feb/2021
New Delhi:Â Eligible overseas Indian voters will not get the facility of postal ballots in the five assembly elections to be held in March and April as the government wants the Election Commission (EC) to consult various stakeholders before the facility is rolled out.
First let’s sum up the ballot paper voting procedure that EC has in mind for NRIs:
Step 1
Any NRI wanting to vote from overseas applies to EC’s Returning Officer via the EC’s website.
Step 2
The Returning Officer sends ballot papers electronically to a Nodal Officer, a government official stationed at each Indian High Commission or Embassy.
Step 3
On polling day, the voter goes to the Embassy or High Commission to cast his or her vote.
Step 4
The Nodal Officer downloads the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot or ETPB using a secure OTP, and hands it to the voter after verifying the voter’s identity.