'Fake Claim': EC Clarifies Eligible Officials On Election Duty Can Cast Their Vote

The ECI clarified today that eligible officials can cast their votes while on duty using ballot papers at a designated facilitation centre.

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The Elections Commission of India (ECI) clarified on Thursday that eligible officials can cast their votes while on duty using ballot papers at a designated facilitation centre. In response to the "fake claim" that officials on election duty cannot vote, the poll body stated in an X post, "A message is being circulated on Whats App that Govt employees cannot cast their vote through postal ballot."

"Reality: Message is misleading & fake. Eligible Officials on election duty can cast their vote through postal ballot at designated Voter Facilitation Centre," ECI tweet read further. 

False Claim: A message is being circulated on Whats App that Govt employees cannot cast their vote through postal ballot.

Reality: Message is misleading & fake. Eligible Officials on election duty can cast their vote through postal ballot at designated Voter Facilitation Centre pic.twitter.com/Lxa4BozpLH

— Election Commission of India (@ECISVEEP) April 4, 2024

To minimise the potential misuse of the postal ballot facility to ensure “free, fair and transparent” polls, the poll body had earlier proposed that people on election duty be allowed to cast their votes only at designated voter facilitation centres and not keep their ballot papers for an extended period. 

Last week, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey sent a recommendation to the Union Ministry of Law and Justice, requiring an amendment to Rule 18 of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961.

According to standard ECI policy, voters on election duty are assigned to locations other than their home constituency to manage and supervise polling at the designated stations. Because of this arrangement, many people are unable to vote in person at their home polling stations. Such candidates are eligible to vote by post.

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