Amaravati: Chief electoral officer Mukesh Kumar Meena said that so far 3.03 lakh voters have made use of postal ballots facility in the state. According to the EC, 4.30 lakh voters had applied for postal ballots.
Meena told media that that voting from home and voting by postal ballots began on different dates. The process started on May 3 in some areas and on May 4 in others.
Meena said that issues regarding establishment of postal ballot facilitation centres have been resolved. He visited postal ballot facilitation center in Vizianagaram district on May 5.
Meena said that out of 4.30 lakh applicants, 3.20 lakh are employees, 40,000 are policemen, 31,000 are in essential services category while the rest included sector officers and others. He said that 28,000 voters have asked for home voting.
Currently, 2.76 lakh employees and 28,000 in home voting and essential services categories have used postal ballot option.
Some employees have not used this facility yet due to various reasons. In response, election officers across districts have been told to enable on-the-spot voting for such individuals, the CEO said. The CEO encouraged employees to use their voting rights through postal ballots at designated facilitation centers today.
The CEO issued a warning highlighting that severe consequences, such as suspension, are in store for employees caught participating in fraudulent activities associated with postal voting, whether it involves giving or receiving bribes. Recent events, such as the arrests in Tadepalligudem and Anantapur, emphasize the gravity of these violations, leading to thorough investigations by the Election Commission. Preliminary investigations have already pinpointed multiple individuals implicated, indicating a firm stance against electoral wrongdoing.
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Venu Lanka is a special correspondent, at The Times of India-Vija...
Read MoreVenu Lanka is a special correspondent, at The Times of India-Vijayawada. He covers developments related to VMC/APCRDA, Janasena, education, health, endowments, and agriculture-related stories. He holds two graduate degrees, one in business management and another in law. He completed his post-graduation in journalism and mass communication, apart from completing short-term courses.
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