Postal ballots: The numbers, and why Opp favours the new formula, Pg6.

Key Highlights:

• The Election Commission (EC) withdrew its 2019 directive on September 25, which allowed EVM counting to continue irrespective of the stage of postal ballot counting.
• The new instruction mandates that the second last round of EVM/VVPAT counting will not begin until postal ballot counting is completed at the counting center.
• The Opposition INDIA bloc had requested that the EC ensure postal ballots are counted before EVM votes, fearing manipulation in close elections.
• In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, 42.82 lakh people voted by post, which is 0.66% of the total votes cast, the highest ever share in general elections.

Detailed Insights:

• The opposition argued that delaying postal ballot counting could lead to manipulation, as these ballots are physically counted and can be rejected for errors.
• Rule 54A of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961 mandates that the returning officer must handle postal ballots first, a rule the opposition claimed was violated by the 2019 directive.
• Categories of voters eligible for postal ballots include armed forces members, government employees posted abroad, those on election duty, voters under preventive detention, and special voters.
• The Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS) was introduced to send postal ballots electronically to service voters, contributing to a significant increase in postal voting.
• Between 2019 and 2024, the number of postal ballots increased by 53%, with Telangana recording the highest increase at 959%, while Maharashtra saw a decline of 12%.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Postal Ballot: A method of voting where ballots are mailed in by eligible voters who cannot be present at polling stations.
• EVM (Electronic Voting Machine): An electronic device used to record votes in place of paper ballots.
• VVPAT (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail): A device that provides a paper record of a voter's selection, allowing verification of the electronic count.