Postal Ballot Facility Expanded for Elderly, PwD and Essential Service Voters: ECI
Voting from home enabled for 85+ citizens and persons with disabilities; media personnel and service voters also covered
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced a series of measures to make voting more accessible and inclusive in the upcoming Assembly Elections, allowing elderly citizens, persons with disabilities (PwDs), and essential service voters to cast their votes through postal ballots.
According to an official press note issued on March 19, 2026, the Commission has extended the postal ballot facility to all voters above the age of 85 years and PwDs flagged in the electoral rolls. These voters will be able to exercise their franchise from the comfort of their homes, ensuring greater participation while addressing mobility and accessibility challenges.
The ECI had earlier announced the election schedule on March 15, 2026, for Legislative Assemblies in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, along with by-elections in six states. Notifications for Assam, Kerala and Puducherry were issued on March 16.
Eligible voters can avail the postal ballot facility by filling out Form 12D and submitting it to the Returning Officer through their Booth Level Officer (BLO) within five days of the election notification. Polling teams will then visit their residences to collect votes as per a pre-announced schedule.
In a significant move, voters engaged in essential services—including fire services, healthcare, electricity, traffic management, ambulance services, aviation, and government transport—have also been included under the postal ballot system. They can apply through designated nodal officers in their departments.
The Commission has also brought authorized media personnel under the category of absentee voters on essential services, enabling them to vote via postal ballots while covering election-related duties.
To maintain transparency and secrecy, voters on election duty will receive their postal ballots at designated facilitation centres, where they can record their votes securely. The ECI has emphasized that strict protocols will be followed to ensure complete confidentiality of the voting process.
For service voters, the Commission will use the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS), allowing ballots to be sent electronically by Returning Officers once the list of contesting candidates is finalized. Notably, service voters will not have to bear any postal charges.
The Commission has also set a clear deadline, stating that all postal ballots must reach the concerned Returning Officers by 8:00 AM on May 4, 2026—the day of vote counting.
Additionally, District Election Officers and Returning Officers have been instructed to brief political parties and contesting candidates on these provisions to ensure smooth implementation.
The initiative reflects ECI’s continued push toward inclusive elections, aiming to ensure that no voter is left behind due to age, disability, or duty obligations.
