ECI to provide ‘vote from home’ facility to senior citizens, differently-abled in Telangana elections

HYDERABAD: ‘Vote from home’ facility for senior citizens who cannot go to polling booths and differently-abled people with more than 40 percent deformity will be extended in Telangana Elections 2023.

Chief Election Commissioner of India Rajiv Kumar said that those who wanted to exercise this option must fill out Form 12D within five days of the election notification.

Rajiv Kumar said that the Election Commission of India (ECI) would ensure that the ensuing elections in Telangana would be inducement-free and declared that steps were initiated to curb the influence of money, distribution of freebies and flow of liquor.

Addressing the media after completion of a three-day review of poll preparedness for forthcoming elections in Telangana, Rajiv Kumar along with Election Commissioners of India Anup Chandra Pandey and Arun Goel said: “We are committed to a free, fair and inducement-free poll in Telangana. We have urged the State machinery to cooperate and their actions will be reviewed after the elections,” the Chief Election Commissioner said.

He said that the members of the ECI have met political parties, the police, and civic authorities to elicit their suggestions and grievances in the conduction of elections during the visit to Telangana. “Certain political parties have urged us to enhance the limit of poll expenditure and much more stringent steps to curb hate speech and impersonation,” he said.

He said that the 3.17 crore voters in Telangana were more inclusive now with a fair number of young, transgenders and differently-abled persons joining the voter's list. “With both men and women equally representing the voters with 1.58 crore voters each, Telangana today represents the best gender equality in the country,” Rajiv Kumar said.

Making a note on the possibility of suo moto name deletions from the voters' list, he said that deletion of names would only happen through Form -7. “If ECI finds that the deletions were more than 2 percent, then it would be taken for review,” he said adding that 22 lakh voter names were deleted in Telangana.

He also said that voters and candidates must download and put different apps created by the ECI such as e-Vigil, Suvidha portal, and KYC (Know Your Candidate) to participate and ensure a free and corruption-free election in Telangana.

“One can upload videos or pictures taken by them on the e-Vigil app and we will jump into action within an hour and ascertain the veracity of the complaint,” he said. Urging the urban voters to visit the polling booth and cast their votes, Rajiv Kumar said that the ECI was concerned about urban apathy in the GHMC area even though the average turnout in Telangana was close to 73 percent.

To check money transfers, the flow of liquor and the distribution of freebies like sarees through borders, 148 police check posts would be set up and entry and exit from the check posts would be strictly monitored. He urged the State and Central forces and enforcement authorities to work in tandem to make elections in Telangana a peaceful event.