A total of 6106 ‘home voters’ have been registered across the State.
3424 of these ‘home voters’ have been registered in the 36 Assembly constituencies under Shillong parliamentary constituency.
Further, 2682 ‘home voters’ have been registered in the 24 Assembly constituencies under Tura parliamentary constituency.
The home voting has already started across the State and was completed yesterday.
It may be mentioned that Meghalaya has 22.27 lakh voters and 11.27 lakh of them are females.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has introduced home voting for the first time in a Lok Sabha Election. This initiative aims to make voting easier for elderly citizens and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Now, voters above 85 years of age and PwDs with 40 per cent benchmark disability can choose to vote from home.
This step marks a significant advancement in making the electoral process more inclusive and accessible.
The provision of home voting aims to empower voters who face difficulties in reaching polling stations.
The process to avail this facility is simple. Eligible voters must complete Form 12D within five days of the election notification and submit it to the returning officer. PwD voters need to include a baseline disability certificate with their applications.
A dedicated team, including polling officials and security personnel, visits the voter’s residence to collect their votes. Voters are informed in advance about the visit, ensuring a smooth voting experience. The entire process is recorded for transparency.
This initiative showcases the ECI’s commitment to using technology to improve the electoral process. With digital notifications and videography, voting becomes more transparent and accessible.
