New Delhi: As the national capital gears up for its Assembly elections next month, an important addition has been made by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ease the voting process for the voter by introducing the “vote-from-home” option.
The ECI has made this option available to eligible voters for the first time in Delhi assembly polls for those scheduled to cast their ballot on February 5th, 2025. The move is believed to enhance participation in the Delhi assembly election set to be wrapped in a single phase.
The voters will decide the fate of Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) eyeing the third turn. The counting will be held on February 8th, with the whole election operation expected to end by February 10th. Nomination procedures will run from January 10th to the 20th.
“It’s a single-phase election. The date of notification will be January 10. The last date for making a nomination will be January 17, scrutiny on January 18 and withdrawal of nomination on January 20. The date of the poll is February 5 and counting will be held on February 8. The entire election process after counting will be complete by February 10,” Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar announced at a press conference on Tuesday.
“India is the gold standard of elections. This is our common heritage… there is no scope for any irregularity in the commission, the procedures are so details. We are ready to punish if there are any mistakes individually, we are to take punishment too,” Kumar added.
The vote from home enhances the accessibility of voting, particularly for senior citizens and individuals with disabilities (PwD). According to the data released by the ECI, there has been a significant increase in the electorate after the Lok Sabha polls, increasing from 153,575,29 in October 2024 to 155,248,58 in December 2024.
Who’s Eligible to vote from home?
The “vote-from-home” facility caters to two groups:
Senior Citizens: Voters aged 85 and above are eligible to vote from home in the Delhi elections.
Persons with Disabilities (PwD): Those voters who have a certified disability of at least 40per cent by the relevant authority are also eligible to vote from home.
ECI stated that those opting for home voting will not be permitted to vote at a polling booth on election day.
The option to vote from home was provided to the voters, nationally, during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. “Generally the tendency has been that the senior citizens want to participate in the process and walk to the booth. But this time, we have given them options to vote in their homes,” Kumar said.
The Application Process:
Specific details about the application process for the “vote-from-home” option in Delhi are not provided in the original news story. The ECI website and local election officials will likely provide detailed instructions on the requirements and procedures for applying for this facility before the election deadline.
