Vote from Home: Elderly and Differently-abled Preferring Polling Booths

The Election Commission's aim behind the 'Vote from Home' facility is to ensure that every eligible voter, including senior citizens aged above 85 and differently-abled individuals, can exercise their franchise without facing any inconvenience. However, data indicate that most senior citizens and differently-abled persons in the Uttara Kannada constituency have expressed eagerness to visit the polling booths on election day to cast their votes.

Statistics reveal that out of 7835 eligible senior citizens aged above 85 who were provided Form 12D for 'Vote from Home,' only 2580 have consented to it. Most of them said they would come to the polling booths and exercise their franchise, officials said.

In Khanapur Taluk, for instance, out of 1116 senior citizens provided with Form D, only 296 have consented to vote from home. Similarly, in Kittur, out of 332 eligible individuals, 296 have chosen this option. The trend continues with 338 out of 1119 in Bhatkal, 30 out of 688 in Haliyal, 723 out of 1159 in Karwar, 285 out of 1007 in Kumta, 554 out of 1342 in Sirsi, and 110 out of 1072 in Yallapur expressing their preference for voting from home.

With regard to differently-abled voters, the data indicate that 300 out of 2251 individuals who received the 12D form in Khanapur assembly constituency have opted for voting from home.

Similarly, in Kittur, 216 out of 566 have chosen this option, while in Bhatkal, 270 out of 2770 have done so. In Haliyal, 32 out of 1705, in Karwar, 480 out of 2499, in Kumta, 175 out of 2750, in Sirsi, 230 out of 2047, and in Yellapur, 62 out of 2084 individuals have agreed to vote from home.

To facilitate this process, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have visited the residences of all identified senior citizens and differently-abled individuals, ensuring that they receive the necessary forms and providing assistance in the consent process. Special attention has been paid to avoid any oversight and ensure that every eligible voter is provided the opportunity to participate in the process.

Meanwhile, the district administration has devised plans to accommodate the needs of senior citizens and differently-abled persons on election day, ensuring that they can comfortably access the polling booths and cast their votes.