The Election Commission announced on 11th March 2023 that voters above the age of 80 and those with disabilities will now have the option to Vote-from-Home (VFH) in the upcoming assembly elections. This is the first time that the ECI has introduced this facility for citizens above 80 years of age. According to Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, teams will be dispatched to assist eligible voters in exercising their franchise with a form-12D.
While the Election Commission encourages citizens above 80 years of age to come to the polling station, the VFH facility is available for those who cannot. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar stated that the secrecy of the vote will be maintained and the entire VFH process will be recorded. Kumar also confirmed that all political parties will be informed of any movement related to VFH.
What is Mobile Application Saksham & Suvidha?
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar announced that a mobile application named ‘Saksham’ has been introduced for people with disabilities. The application allows them to log in and select the option to vote. Additionally, a mobile application called ‘Suvidha’ has been developed as an online portal for candidates to file nominations and affidavits. Kumar also highlighted that candidates can utilize the SUVIDHA portal to seek permission for meetings and rallies.
Statistics of Karnataka Election
In regard to the upcoming Karnataka assembly election, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar provided some key statistics. The state has 224 constituencies, out of which 36 are reserved for SCs and 15 for STs. The total number of voters is 5.21 crore, with 2.59 crore being women. The voter base also includes 16,976 centenarians, 4,699 individuals who identify as third gender, and 9.17 lakh first-time voters. Additionally, there are 12.15 lakh voters above the age of 80 and 5.55 lakh persons with disabilities (PWD).
How Many Polling Stations in Karnataka?
The state of Karnataka has a total of 58,272 polling stations, with 24,063 located in urban areas. On average, there are 883 voters assigned to each polling station. Of these stations, 1,320 are managed by women, 224 by youths, and 224 by PWDs. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar revealed that webcasting will be implemented in 29,141 polling stations, with 1,200 being identified as critical. The majority of polling stations are located in schools and have permanent facilities such as water, electricity, toilets, and ramps. These facilities are designed to be permanent in nature.
Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar 3 day Visit to Karnataka
While reviewing election preparedness during his three-day visit to the state, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar expressed that the permanent facilities in schools were a gift from the ECI to the schools and children. When questioned about the possible election date, Kumar stated that it must be conducted before May 24, as that marks the end of the current assembly’s tenure. Furthermore, he directed the official machinery to make preparations for a fair and transparent election in the state.
What is the Know Your Candidate (KYC) Campaign?
To benefit voters, the ECI has launched a campaign called Know Your Candidate (KYC). As part of this campaign, political parties are required to disclose on their portals and social media platforms why they chose a candidate with a criminal background and gave them a ticket to contest the election, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar stated.
