Lok Sabha 2019: "Voted on my desk," exclaims India's envoy to Pakistan Ajay Bisaria after casting his vote through electronic postal ballot from Islamabad

India's High Commissioner to Pakistan Ajay Bisaria cast his vote from his desk in Islamabad, Pakistan through the electronic postal voting procedure facilitated by the Election Commission.

In a tweet, Bisaria shared that he voted for the first time from abroad and that over a 100 officials of "Team India" got to do the same. 

He said: "Voted on my desk! Delighted to add a voice as an early bird electronic-postal voter in the General Elections 2019. For the first time from abroad, thanks to Election Commission. More than hundred of Team India in Pakistan get to vote!

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To allow Indians away from home to exercise their franchise in the largest festival of democracy, the Election Commission has made provisions for members of the Armed Forces, members of the Armed Police Force serving from a different state, Government employees to vote through postal ballot. 

Along with that, authorities on election duty including polling officers, agents, presiding officers or public servants are allowed to vote through postal ballots, and even people under preventive detention. 

The fifth phase of Lok Sabha polls are taking place on Monday. To ensure free and fair polling in Bongaon (SC), Barrackpur, Howrah, Uluberia, Serampore, Hooghly and Arambagh (SC) seats, the Election Commission will deploy a total of 578 companies of central forces, which will cover almost 100 per cent polling booths, officials said.

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With 7 states, 51 seats and 674 candidates in fray, the states that will go to polls on Monday are- 

• Uttar Pradesh: Dhaurahra, Sitapur, Mohanlalganj, Lucknow, Rae Bareli, Amethi, Banda, Fatehpur, Kaushambi, Barabanki, Faizabad, Bahraich, Kaiserganj and Gonda
• Rajasthan: Ganganagar, Bikaner, Churu, Jhunjhunu, Sikar, Jaipur Rural, Jaipur, Alwar, Bharatpur, Karauli-Dholpur, Dausa and Nagaur
• West Bengal: Bangaon, Barrackpore, Howrah, Uleberia, Sreerampur, Hooghly and Arambag
• Madhya Pradesh: Tikamgarh, Damoh, Khajuraho, Satna, Rewa, Hoshangabad and Betul
• Bihar: Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Muzaffarpur, Saran and Hajipur
• Jammu and Kashmir: Ladakh and Anantnag
• Jharkhand: Kodarma, Ranchi, Khunti and Hazaribagh​​​​​​​

In another first, VVPATs will be used in all the polling booths along with the EVMs, EC sources told PTI.