Shillong, Feb 16: The district council affairs department which is conducting the KHADC- JHADC polls has not walked extra mile to help the elders by allowing them to cast their votes from their homes or by postal ballots.
For the Lok Sabha polls in 2024, the Election Commission of India (ECI) had allowed home voting for the elderly and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).
There are many voters above the age of 85 years and they are unable to reach the polling stations due to age and health related issues. The same is the plight of people suffering from 40 per cent disabilities.
The district council affairs department had on January 28 issued an order to the deputy commissioners of poll-bound districts and sub-divisional officers of Sohra and Amlarem regarding postal ballots for absentees.
According to the order, as per the Assam and Meghalaya Autonomous District (Constitution of District Councils) Rules 1951, postal ballot for absentees is not mentioned.
“It may be noted that postal ballot should be only for officials on poll duty”, said the order.
The order has irked many candidates as they will be finding it difficult to transport senior citizens and persons with disabilities to the polling stations.
