Punjab’s voters above 80 years, divyangs, and those affected by COVID-19 will now have the option of exercising their franchise through postal ballots. The State is slated to go for polls early next year.

“As per the revised guidelines, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has provided the facility of voting through postal ballots (PB) paper to senior citizens, who are above 80 years of age, Persons with Disability (PwDs) flagged in the electoral roll, and COVID-19 suspect or affected persons.

The revised guidelines, released the previous year, have already been implemented in the general elections held in Bihar (December 2020), and in four states of Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, besides Union Territory of Puduucherry.

In these elections, held amidst COVID-19 pandemic, the postal ballot facility was extended to the senior voters — who were considered to be the most vulnerable group.

As per the changes made in the guidelines, these category voters would be considered as “absentee voters” providing them the option of voting through postal ballot.

The ECI guidelines said that an ‘absentee voter’, wishing to vote by postal ballot, has to make an application to the returning officer of the constituency concerned during the period from the date of announcement of election to five days following the date of notification of the election.