GUWAHATI: Voting through postal ballots has begun in Kamrup Metropolitan district as part of the preparations for the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections to be held on May 7.
Kamrup Metropolitan District Commissioner and District Election Officer Sumit Sattavan informed that the process to exercise the democratic right commenced on April 27 for specially-abled voters and elderly citizens above the age of 85 years.
Sattavan said that the voting process has been carried out for every eligible specially-abled person and voters above the age of 85 years at the comfort of their residences who applied through Form 12(D).
As many as 1224 elderly voters above the age of 85 years have applied for postal ballots in Kamrup Metro out of a total of 1545 in the Guwahati Lok Sabha constituency.
In addition to it, the total number of differently-abled voters in this vital constituency stands at 595, with 89 of them in the district.
Officers, employees and others engaged in the election process can post their ballots from May 2.
Dr. Jeevan Krishna Goswami, nodal officer of the Postal Ballot cell of Kamrup Metropolitan Election District, stated that polling officers can cast their votes at designated locations, which includes Gauhati Commerce College, Dispur College and Assam Engineering Institute on May 2 and 3, between 9 am and 5 pm.
Officers and employees involved in election work can exercise their democratic franchise between May 2 and 5 at the postal voting centre in the Kamrup Metropolitan District Commissioner's office from 9 am to 5 pm.
Police personnel fulfilling election duty can cast their vote at the police reserve in Rupnagar, Guwahati, on May 2 and 3.
Moreover, essential services personnel can exercise their democratic right at the District Commissioner's office from May 1 to May 3.
As far as the drivers and conductors involved in election-related duties are concerned, voting for them will take place at the Maniram Dewan Trade Centre on May 6 from 8 am to 5 pm.
Notably, a total of 210 people, including 35 micro-observers, 35 first polling officers, 35 second polling officers, 35 videographers, 35 security personnel, and 35 Class IV employees, are engaged in the process of postal ballot across 35 teams.
These teams are assigned with the task of overseeing the voting process to be held in five assembly constituencies within the district.
It is worth mentioning the fact that a total of 50 officers and staff, including nodal officers, are deployed in the postal ballot cell in order to ensure the smooth conduct of the postal ballot voting process.
The entire postal ballot process is expected to conclude by May 6.
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