'Home voting' introduced for voters above 80 years of age in Karnataka

BENGALURU: The Election Commission has introduced 'home voting' for the first time in Karnataka for the ensuing Assembly polls for voters above 80 of years of age and also for the Persons with Disability (PwD).

The initiative has been receiving good response and the first day of the Home voting reported as many as 31,119 voters out of targeted 33,036 voters casting their rights for the ensuing Assembly polls. Ballot papers are used in home voting.

In Karnataka, as many as 80,250 are 80 plus voters and 19, 279 are Persons with Disabilities. Home voting will be done till May 6 from 7 am to 5 pm. It began in 22 districts of Karnataka on April 29 wherein a team of two poll officers, one micro observer, a police personnel and a videographer are present while voting happens. Home voting will also be launched in another 12 election districts in a couple of days.

On the second day (April 30) of home voting, officials concerned had set a target to cover as many as 20,049 voters. A total of 1,270 teams were formed in as many routes for undertaking home voting in Karnataka. However, figures were not available on the number of voters covered in home voting on the second day.

In Chikkodi-Sadalga Assembly seat of Belagavi district, 103-year-old Mahadev Mahalinga Mali casted his right through home voting. After voting, Mahalinga called upon the voters of the State to vote in the ensuing Assembly polls without fail.

In Madikeri district, Lakshminarayan, a PwD voter, voted for the ensuing Assembly election through home voting. Along with Lakshminarayan, 631 identified as 80 years and above voters casted their votes and 160 Persons with Disability (PwD) also voted on Sunday through home voting.

Chief Election Officer, Karnataka Manoj Kumar Meena stated that home voting has been introduced to make all voters cast their rights and the home voting should motivate young voters to come forward and vote in the ensuing Assembly election.

In Mysuru district, poll officials on April 29 found as many as 26 persons died after opting for home voting. On the second day (April 30) of home voting in Mysuru district, 773 voters who are 80 years and above and 127 PwD voters exercised their powers.