Bangalore, Hubli ,April 25, 2013:
Photos by KIRAN BAKALE
Elections to state assembly is still a week ahead. Leaders of all political parties are busy in campaigning. However, some officials of the state were busy in polling..! Yes you are right.. they exercised their franchise ahead of others.
Don’t get surprised. They are the officials who will be in charge of free and fair elections. While some of them are posted as polling officials, some are posted for security. Since they will be posted to a different constituency they cannot exercise their right. They will be given an opportunity- postal ballot to exercise their franchise.
According to Chief Electoral Officer Anil Kumar Jha a total of 3.37 lakh personnel who are in the Defence forces and those deployed for the polling duty will exercise their franchise though postal ballot.
Three lakh police and government employees, who will be deployed for election duty, and 37,000 personnel serving in Defence forces would cast their votes though postal ballot. Besides polling officials, ballot papers would also be given to drivers and cleaners of buses and other vehicles, he said.
He said the Election Commission has decided to enter into an agreement with the Postal Department to provide an opportunity to Defence and polling personnel to cast their vote.
Two envelopes would be posted to the Defence personnel from the State. One envelop includes a ballot paper for casting the vote while other for posting certificates of unit officers of Defence forces stating that the person was serving in the unit. The Returning Officers of respective constituencies dispatched ballot papers to the Defence personnel on April 22./ ENN
