Over 52,000 voters opt for postal ballots in 1st phase of Bihar polls

More than fifty two thousand electors belonging to Senior Citizen, above 80 years of age and Persons with disabilities have opted to exercise the facility to vote through postal ballots in the forthcoming First Phase of General Election to the Legislative Assembly of Bihar.

These electors will be provided postal ballots on pre-informed dates by the Returning Officers with proper security and videography arrangements to ensure secrecy, safety and transparency in the process. 

This is the first time that postal ballot facility is being extended to both the categories in Bihar elections. Booth Level Officers of 71 Assembly Constituencies in Bihar have reached out to more than four lakh such electors. Remaining electors intend to visit the booth on the poll day for voting. 

Election officials are to reach out to voters eligible for Postal Ballots in Bihar to ensure



accessible, inclusive and safe elections during COVID-19. In the First Phase elections, polling in 71 Assembly constituencies spread over 16 districts of the state, is to be held on October 28th.

The elector may or may not opt for postal ballot in the acknowledgement attached with the Form 12-D. If he/she opts for postal ballot, then the Booth Level Officer (BLO) will collect the filled-in Form 12-D from the house of the elector within five days of the notification and deposit it with the RO forthwith.

In subsequent two phases of elections in Bihar and in bye-elections in all other states, this exercise will continue so that electoral process becomes more accessible, inclusive and safe for these categories during the period of COVID-19. BLOs will visit approximately 12 lakh such electors’ homes in Bihar in the next two phases for this purpose.