The voting process of Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections-2023 has been completed. Counting of votes will take place on December 3. Earlier, former CM Raman Singh has raised questions regarding the employees who had their names removed from election duty not voting. Because there are more than 22 thousand such employees. Raman has tweeted tagging CEO Chhattisgarh and called it a mistake in the election process.
He wrote- Many employees who got their names removed after joining voting duty have not been able to vote. To protect the democracy of these officers and employees, I request them to take a decision on voting. After this tweet the matter gained momentum. After the tweet, Commission officials are asking to discuss with the District Election Officers.
More than 17 thousand postal votes were collected in the first phase
According to the data received from the Commission, 5300 polling stations were set up in the first phase of elections. 25 thousand 420 officers and employees were selected to perform duty in these polling stations. Out of these, 21 thousand 216 officers-employees were put on duty. 4 thousand 204 people were kept in reserve. In the first phase, 17 thousand 234 officers and employees submitted their postal ballot on time.
More than 22 thousand postal ballots were not collected
During the second phase of voting, 18 thousand 833 polling stations were set up. 90 thousand 272 officers-employees were selected in this phase. Of these, 75 thousand 332 were on duty. 14 thousand officers and employees were kept in reserve. Of these, 71 thousand 427 people have submitted their postal ballot till the stipulated time. The postal ballot papers of the remaining people have not yet reached the Commission. Their number is more than 22 thousand.
According to BJP leaders, the number of officers and employees who could not vote is more than the Commission’s figures. Because it does not include the names of those people who had their names removed from duty for some reason. What is a postal ballot?
This system is used for those voters who due to various reasons are not able to cast their vote physically in their area. In such a situation, the Election Commission provides the facility to these voters to cast their vote through postal ballot. Now postal voting is also being done through e-mail voting system. Along with this, in every election only postal ballot papers are counted first.
This system is used by officers serving on election duty, armed forces personnel, government officers working outside the country, all security force personnel covered under the Army Act-1950. On October 21, 2016, the Government of India started this service by issuing a notification by amending Rule 23 of the Election Rules, 1961. After this, the facility of voting through e-mail started. Postal ballot paper is valid till counting.
Chhattisgarh Election Commission officials said that whatever data related to postal ballot has been made public, that data is not final. Postal ballot papers are accepted by the Commission till 8 am on the counting day. Many employees also send it through post office, hence this figure has been called interim.
