Srinagar, May 07: Ali Mohammad Rather, a 75-year-old resident of the Dara area within the Hazratbal assembly segment of Srinagar district, achieved a significant milestone as the first visually impaired individual in the region to utilise the home voting facility.
An official from the District Election Office, Srinagar, confirmed that Rather’s vote was successfully cast and securely sealed in a ballot box at Dara.
A nonagenarian female resident of the Harwanneighborhood was among the early voters. She expressed her delight and honour at being able to exercise her right to vote from the convenience of her own home.
The Returning Officer for the 02-Srinagar Parliamentary Constituency, Dr. Bilal Mohiuddin, informed Rising Kashmir that the Polling teams have facilitated Vote from Home for eligible Elderly Voters and Persons with Disabilities in connection with the upcoming LokSabha Election-2024 in respect of all Eight Assembly Segments in Srinagar Parliamentary Constituency.
He said that approximately 292 eligible voters of the District, including 202 Senior Citizens over the age of 85 and 90 Persons with Disabilities, conveniently cast their votes using postal ballots from the comfort of their own homes.
The RO Srinagar Parliamentary Constituency said that the Home Voting facility offered a convenient option for many senior citizens and individuals with disabilities to cast their votes via postal ballots in the LokSabha Election-2024, thereby reducing the challenges associated with traveling to polling stations.
He stated that the facility has been instrumental in promoting equal opportunities for all stakeholders, ensuring that no one is left behind in the electoral process.
He further added that eighteen polling teams, each comprising a polling officer, a polling official, a micro-observer, a videographer, and a team of security personnel visited the homes of willing voters (who have provided consent to the District Election Office) since Tuesday morning. The visits are scheduled to continue on the 7th, 8th, and 9th of May, 2024.
The voting for this constituency is scheduled for May 13, which marks the fourth round of the seven-phase general elections.
RahtiBano, a 99-year-old resident of KhansahabBudgam, is one of the senior citizens who took advantage of the home voting facility and cast her vote at her residence.
She expressed her delight at being able to cast her vote at home. She said that it would have otherwise been challenging for her to reach the polling station due to her health conditions and exercise her right to vote.
Another senior citizen, Habibbulah Dar, expressed gratitude to the Election Commission of India for providing the home voting facility.
In a remarkable display of democratic participation, a 110-year-old female resident of Shopian Assembly Segment exercised her franchise today, marking the commencement of Postal and Home Voting for the 02-Srinagar Parliamentary Constituency.
Residing at TherinKandi in Tehsil Keller, the voter cast her vote through the Home Voting Facility, facilitated by the District Administration, Shopian, in adherence to the guidelines set forth by the Election Commission of India. This initiative aims to ensure inclusive participation in the voting process.
The Home Voting Facility has been rolled out across the Shopian assembly segment of the Srinagar Parliamentary Constituency. A total of 185 senior citizens and specially-abled voters are expected to exercise their franchise under the vigilant supervision of election machinery officials, district administration personnel, and with appropriate magisterial, observer, and security arrangements in place.
Additionally, a Postal Voting Centre has been established at Shopian to facilitate essential service staff members who were unable to cast their votes on election day due to their duties. A total of 586 voters are scheduled to cast their votes during the three-day period.
District Election Officer (DEO) Shopian, FazLulHaseeb, personally visited various areas to oversee the smooth conduct of the voting process.
