Lok Sabha elections 2024 | FAQs: How officers on poll duty can vote

The Election Commission of India was asked by the Bombay HC to make sure that officers who are deployed for polling duties should not be deprived from casting their votes.

Several officers have always asserted that they haven't been able to cast their vote during elections, citing several reasons like - being on poll duty, not granted leave to vote or being unaware about the postal ballot system.

According to a report by The Hindu, earlier the Election Commission (EC) has brought out a facility for officers who are on poll duty. The officers of polling duty can choose to vote through two methods - Election Duty Certificate (EDC) or voting through postal ballot.

The methods had been under supervision for more than six years.

According to the publication, the EC provides a form which has to be filled out the officer on polling duty, following which, they will be getting an EDC.

The person who gets an EDC is entitled to vote at any polling booth of his constituency and not necessarily at the polling booth where his name is listed.

The postal ballot method is where the officer on polling duty can fill out a form provided to them, which are then collected and separated according to different constituencies. The constituency-wise segregated forms are then handed over to the Returning Officer (RO) of the respective constituency.

According to a report by The Indian Express, in 2022, the Election Commission of India (ECI) was asked by the Bombay HC to make sure that officers who are deployed for polling duties should not be deprived from casting their votes.

According to the publication, the court also added, "The right to vote is a vital right of every citizen and if those officers who assist ECI in holding peaceful polls are themselves deprived, that would indeed not be a very acceptable situation."

According to a report by Times of India, the Ministry of Law amended the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, following a proposal by the EC, and made it obligatory for the officers and staff who are polling duty to vote.

It was made mandatory for all the officials including police personnel to vote at a facilitation centres which have been organised for them at the same place of their duty.

With this amendment, a stop had been put to the previous method of postal ballot.