Staff on poll duty allege denial of postal ballots

 Hyderabad: Government employees on election duty, including presiding officers (POs), assistant presiding officers (APOs), and other polling officials (OPOs) in Charminar, claim they were denied the 'right to vote' as election authorities failed to provide them with postal ballots.

Protesting government staff further alleged that despite applying for the postal ballot facility by submitting Form 12 and receiving confirmation SMSes, they were not given the opportunity to vote via postal ballots.

On November 25, POs, APOs, and OPOs staged a protest at Zilla Parishad High School in Saroornagar, where they were undergoing a training programme for their roles. They demanded the provision of the postal ballot facility.

According to data from Hyderabad District Election Authorities, a total of 34,452 polling staffers and police personnel have been deployed for elections in 15 Assembly constituencies of Hyderabad. Among them, 21,916 opted for the postal ballot facility. Election department officials advised electors to contact their respective returning officers (ROs) regarding concerns about the postal ballot facility.