Gautam Budh Nagar: Polling staff to cast postal ballot at facilitation centre

The staff on poll duty will be provided the facility to cast their votes during the second round of their election training

NOIDA: The Gautam Budh Nagar administration, on the directions of Election Commission of India, on Monday said that the people deployed on election duty will use postal ballot and cast their vote at the facilitation centre, established in Sector 51 of Noida, only.

According to Nodal officer (postal ballot), the facilitation centre set up for voters on election duty minimises the potential misuse of postal ballot facility and ensures free, fair and transparent elections. (HT Photo)

Officials, however, declined to reveal the strength of the poll staff.

Nodal officer (postal ballot), Gautam Budh Nagar, Vipin Kumar Agarwal has issued necessary directions to all the political parties and their respective candidates and apprised them of the Election Commission guidelines.

The staff on poll duty will be provided the facility to cast their votes during the second round of their election training at the Rajkiya Balika Inter College in Sector 51 of Noida, on April 16, 18 and 19, said the official.

“The rule aims at checking the potential misuse of the postal ballot facility provided to voters on poll duty. With the help of facilitation centre, poll staff on duty will not be able to keep ballot papers with them for a long period, preventing chances of misuse,” said district magistrate (Gautam Budh Nagar) Manish Kumar Verma.

“Keeping of ballot papers by voters on election duty for a long time is highly susceptible to undue influence, threats, bribery and other unethical means by candidates or political parties,” the official explained.

In the absence of the facility, the voters on election duty provided with postal ballots used to take their postal ballots with them as they are given time to cast their postal ballot till 8:00am on the counting day, as per election law and relevant rules, officials informed.

However, the voters on poll duty are now required to apply for postal ballots to the concerning returning officer at the time of their training, post which, postal ballots are issued at the training centre during the subsequent training sessions, said officials.

According to Nodal officer (postal ballot) Agarwal, the facilitation centre set up for voters on election duty minimises the potential misuse of postal ballot facility and ensures free, fair and transparent elections.

“The centre enables voters on poll duty to cast their votes at the facility before they are dispatched for the allotted polling stations on election duty,” he said.

“The facilitation centre, developed in Hoshiyarpur of Sector 51, Noida, is equipped with all necessary arrangements for ensuring fair and transparent voting in the presence of candidates or their representatives,” Agarwal said.

“The voters on polling duty will be able to cast their votes on April 16, 18 and 19 between 9.00am and 5pm,” he added.

The district will go to polls on April 26.