Kerala LoP urges ECI to ensure smooth postal voting for Govt staff

Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly, VD Satheesan, on Wednesday sought the EC’s intervention to ensure that Government employees can exercise their franchise without any hindrance through the postal voting process.

In a letter to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, Satheesan said the issue has already been brought to the attention of the Kerala Chief Electoral Officer by postal voters from all 14 districts, but “no effective remedial measures have been implemented”. Assembly polls for 140 constituencies in Kerala will be held on April 9. He said many such employees have also approached him, seeking assistance in resolving these difficulties.

Satheesan said that under the earlier system, eligible Government servants could receive their postal ballots at their residences upon application, which significantly enhanced accessibility and voter participation.

However, under the present arrangement, voters need to visit designated facilitation centres between April 1 and 8 to obtain and cast their ballots, he said.

“It has been reported that, in several instances, postal ballots are not available at these facilitation centres, thereby preventing eligible voters from exercising their franchise,” he said.

“This has created a situation where a substantial number of Government employees may be deprived of their right to vote within the stipulated time frame,” Satheesan added.

He said similar concerns have been raised by essential health department personnel, including doctors, nurses, paramedical staff, and other support staff, who have been assigned mandatory duties on election day.

“These obligations leave them with little or no practical opportunity to participate in the voting process,” he said, urging the EC to consider extending the operational hours of facilitation centres by at least one week.

“I also request that necessary directions be issued to ensure that health department personnel can cast their votes without any hindrance,” he said.

“Such measures would help ensure that all eligible voters are provided a fair and reasonable opportunity to exercise their democratic rights, thereby reinforcing the integrity of the electoral process,” he added in his letter.