ECI responds to Yechury's letter, defends allowing postal votes for those above 65 years

The Election Commission on Wednesday defended its decision to allow voters above 65 years - Coronavirus positive as well as suspected patients to cast postal votes. The ECI said the decision was taken to minimise their exposure in public, while not depriving them of their right to vote.

ECI’s response came after CPI(M) chief Sitaram Yechury wrote a letter Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora on Monday to the "unilateral measures" being taken by the poll panel in "altering" electoral procedures without consulting political parties.

Keeping in mind the safety of senior citizens amid rising cases of coronavirus, the age limit for voters to opt for the postal ballot in Lok Sabha and assembly elections has been reduced to 65, which was earlier 80.

Responding to Yechury’s letter, Deputy Election Commissioner Chandra Bhushan Kumar said the decision to allow elderly and Covid-19 patients to cast postal votes was taken under the Representation of People Act, 1951 and also in consultation with the Central government.

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He also said that the ECI has held meetings with parties in Bihar, where Assembly elections are due later this year, directing them to limit the number of voters in each polling station to 1,000 and to set up alternate polling booths in the same locality to ensure social distancing norms are followed during the voting process.

Bhushan further said that the Commission is taking several steps to ensure that the maximum participation of voters, especially during these challenging times. He said the ECI is open to suggestions for any further steps to be taken to tackle the emerging situation.

Speaking of the core issue raised by Yechury about consultation with parties, the Deputy Commissioner said there is a need for consultation with parties at the national level as the decisions are specific to a state.

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Sitaram Yechury shoots off letter to Election Commissioner 

In his letter dated June 29, Yechury said, "From the media reports we are constrained to infer that the tearing hurry that the Election Commission displays is on account of the impending Bihar Assembly elections, scheduled to be held in November this year".

He said our electoral system has always treated the physical verifiability of voters as the bedrock of integrity. "With the two amendments to the Rules, a very large number of voters will be out of the verifiability matrix," he added.

"This assumes great significance because of instances of manipulation and malpractice even with the comparatively low number of postal ballots used by service personnel on election duty. I am looking forward to a positive consideration and response by the EC," Sitaram Yechury said.

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(Image credits: ANI)