Postal Ballot Voting Facility—Relief for the Elderly, Persons with Disabilities, and Service Voters
The Election Commission of India has decided to provide the facility of voting via postal ballot to the elderly, persons with disabilities, service voters, and personnel engaged in election duty during the upcoming assembly elections. The Commission had announced the election schedule for Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal on March 15, 2026, pursuant to which notifications were issued on March 16.
In accordance with Section 60(c) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, voters aged above 85 years and identified voters with disabilities will be able to cast their votes via postal ballot by applying through Form 12-D. Polling teams will visit their homes to collect their ballots.
Personnel deployed in essential services and authorized media representatives will also be eligible for this facility. Voters engaged in election duty will cast their votes confidentially at designated facilitation centers, while postal ballots will be dispatched to service voters through the ETPBS system.
It is mandatory for postal ballots to reach the respective Returning Officers by 8:00 AM on May 4, 2026. The Commission has issued instructions to officials to apprise all political parties of this matter.
