- Why in news
- On March 19, 2026, the Election Commission said elderly, PwD, essential-service and service voters can use postal ballots in the Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal Assembly elections, whose schedule was announced on March 15, 2026.
- Legal basis
- The facility for elderly and PwD electors is notified by the ECI under Section 60(c) of the RP Act, 1951.
- Application route
- Elderly and PwD electors apply on Form 12D to the Returning Officer through the BLO within 5 days of notification of election; polling teams collect votes at their homes.
- Essential services
- Electors on essential services on poll day apply through a nodal officer of their department. Fire, health, electricity, traffic, ambulance and aviation services are covered.
- Media persons
- Media persons authorised by the ECI for poll-day coverage are treated as absentee voters on essential services and can use postal ballot.
- Service voters and ETPBS
- Service voters receive postal ballots electronically through ETPBS once the list of contesting candidates is final, and do not bear postal costs.
- Deadline
- Postal ballots must reach the Returning Officers by 8:00 AM on the counting day, May 4, 2026.
Don’t confuse with Postal ballot vs proxy voting: Postal ballot is a ballot paper marked and returned by post or at a centre. Proxy voting lets a nominated person cast the vote for a classified service voter.
Don’t confuse with Postal ballot vs ETPBS: ETPBS sends the blank ballot electronically to service voters. The voter still prints, marks and posts the ballot back.
Laws, judgments and statutory bodies: 30 Prelims questions since 2013 (what the law says, who chairs, legal basis). In Mains, 44 news-triggered questions, most in GS2, asking for provisions and challenges.
Why it matters
- Makes voting accessible for the elderly and PwDs, supporting inclusive participation.
- Lets those on essential duty vote, reducing disenfranchisement of absentee voters.
Problems
- Home voting by polling teams raises concerns about secrecy and possible influence on voters.
- Postal ballots can be delayed or rejected for errors, and tight timelines strain Returning Officers.
Way forward
- Strengthen secrecy safeguards, with videography and candidate agents present at home voting.
- Improve awareness and BLO support so eligible voters apply on time.
Put in your answer
Technology in elections: ETPBS shows technology used to reach service voters electronically.
- 2026Mains GS2 · Q4Is voting a fundamental right, and what can ECI examine during electoral roll revision?
- 2017Mains GS2 · Q14What electoral reforms did ECI propose in 2016, and how significant are they?
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Lasting electoral-law topic: postal ballot for 85+ voters, PwDs and essential-service voters. Procedural announcement for a state election cycle; card only.
Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.