Panaji: voters who are absent in the city above the age of 80 and people with disabilities – are seen waiting worriedly on Sundays to turn them to run their franchise through postal elections as home-to-home.
While they are happy to choose from the comfort and security of their own home, the process is not without a few obstacles.
Initially, the election team spent almost half an hour in every home, but it was getting faster when they experienced hangs in the process.
This new concept has everyone from polling officials to designated videographers, micro observers and even candidate representatives and voters studying the rope, resulting in to turn into time consuming exercises.
Videographers must be informed that they should record all procedures in each house and have their batteries run out.
Representatives of political parties were seen sitting in voter homes while they gave their voices to be told to wait outside following complaints.
Voting staff must verify the details of voters, do documents, set the cardboard partition for secrecy collection, and provide explicit instructions on how to vote on postal vote so it is not considered invalid.
“We have to follow the procedure and do everything correctly.
It takes time and cannot be rushed,” said the polling staff to Ti.
It waits longer for some people who are told that they will choose 11am but then rescheduled the next day without the specified time.
Sreedhar, 91, who never missed the election, had used a wheelchair for the past year.
“He won’t choose this year, if it’s not because of this facility.
Even though I can walk, I also take advantage of the opportunity to choose from home,” he said 81 years old.
Other voters, 83-year-old Ezilda said it would be a risk for him to go to a polling booth during a pandemic.
“It’s my job to choose and I will leave, but I feel safer to give a voice from home,” he said.
‘Instructions for voter guidelines’ are submitted to voters at or after the vote.
The seniors were surprised to find that postal ballots were not sealed.
“Isn’t the gums easily removed?” A voter who is attended asking.
“Safe fevististic glue.
What if someone replaces my voice paper,” another word.
The other raises concerns over whether their postal ballots can be traced back to them.
The voters missed saying they found the process of checking their candidates on sound paper easier than using EVM but skipped their fingers ink.
The team included two polling staff, one videographer, one micro observer and one CRPF personnel besides candidate representatives.
More than 10,000 applications from those in the 80+ category and more than 2,000 from people with disabilities have been received.
The complicated voting system keeps the Elder City wait their turn
