The Kerala High Court orally observed that the allegation of 21,156 polling officials being unable to cast their postal ballots at the recently concluded Assembly elections was unfortunate, if it was true.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) ought to provide the necessary facilities for all eligible citizens, the court said, while hearing pleas filed by Kerala NGO Union and others, seeking steps to make available postal ballots to personnel who were on duty for the Assembly polls, and to extend the deadline for casting postal votes.
The union had submitted earlier this month that many such officials had not received their postal ballots, despite timely submission of applications. It further submitted that it had handed over a list of 21,156 officials who were unable to cast their postal ballots. Quoting Rule 27 of the Conduct of Elections Rule, 1961, the union had also submitted before the High Court that the grievance could be redressed any time before the date of counting (May 4), if ballot papers reached the returning officer before the counting of votes commenced.
The ECI contended that many postal ballot applications were either defective or were not received (by the officials).
