Kolkata: Several electors who are sick and aged below 85 are seeking clarifications from BLOs whether they can avail of the postal ballot facility at home. Recently, a BLO from Shyampukur constituency has written a letter to the public grievance redressal (PGRS) cell of the Election Commission and the governor, flagging concerns about the voters, including her mother, who are unable to move and need the home voting facility.As per the EC’s directive, those who belong to AVSC (elderly 85 years and above) and AVPD (disability with 40% and above) can get the facility to vote at home. “There are genuine voters who need home voting facilities because they are either sick or have mobility issues, though they are neither elderly nor have any disabilities. They also have the right to cast their vote. Keeping this in mind, I wrote the letters requesting for such a facility for those voters,” said Preeti Gupta, Shyampukur BLO. Other booth-level officers across the city also stated that they were being flooded with queries from the electors who are sick and have mobility issues. A BLO in south Kolkata said, “I feel that those sick and having mobility problems should be considered for the home voting facility. Like me, many BLOs are seeking an explanation from the EC in this regard.”
