Srinagar: Ahead of first phase of Lok Sabha polls, 177 specially-abled voters cast their votes through secret postal ballots from their homes for Udhampur-Doda parliament seat which goes to polls on April 19.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has allocated two days, April 14 and 15 for these voters nationwide to cast their votes through secret postal ballots from the comfort of their homes.
A total of 177 specially-abled voters were registered by the authorities in district Doda and authorities had deployed teams to ensure that these voters could cast their votes through secret postal ballots.
Through the secret postal ballot system, specially-abled voters participated in shaping the future of the nation, inspiring countless others with their unwavering spirit. Their ballots carried not just votes, but the collective voice of courage and inclusion, echoing far beyond the polling stations, touching hearts and minds across the land.
Zia-ul-Haq Bhat, a teacher who was paralyzed in an accident in 2014, after casting his vote said he was happy about it. Polling officers, accompanied by security officials, visited his home in Doda town near to assist him in casting his vote through postal ballots.
A polling official said they ensured all 177 specially-abled voters cast their votes and on Monday, “10 prisoners who are behind bars or under preventive custody will also cast their votes through secret ballots.”
Doda is part of the Udhampur-Doda Parliamentary constituency, and formal polling is scheduled for April 19, during which more than 16.22 lakh voters will exercise their franchise.
Published 15 April 2024, 05:15 IST