Postal voting for senior citizens and differently-abled voters in Chennai is scheduled for April 15, with an additional day on April 16 for those unable to vote initially. This initiative aims to promote inclusive participation in the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Across 16 constituencies in Chennai, 23,415 senior citizens above 85 and 12,501 differently-abled voters have been identified, with 8,947 opting for postal voting through Form 12D.
Elaborate arrangements have been made to ensure a smooth and transparent process. Ninety-six polling teams will be deployed citywide to collect votes from voters’ homes, each team consisting of polling officers, a police officer, a videographer, and a micro-observer to enforce electoral guidelines strictly. Voters opting for postal voting will receive advance notice of the polling team’s visit date and time.
Authorities assure that all precautions will be taken to guarantee free, fair, and confidential voting. Additionally, polling personnel on election duty will cast their postal ballots between April 16 and 17 at three designated centers in Chennai, the locations of which will be finalized soon. Training for polling teams was conducted on April 8 under the supervision of Chennai Corporation Commissioner J. Kumaragurubaran at Ripon Buildings, emphasizing independent voting and strict ballot confidentiality.
After casting their votes, voters will seal their ballot papers in secure boxes provided by polling teams. The collected ballots will be documented daily, stored under returning officers’ custody, and electronically submitted to the Chief Electoral Officer for transparency and accountability in the process.
