Postal ballot time limit extended to May 1: DC

District Collector and District Election Officer V Prasanna Venkatesh said that the Election Commission has extended the deadline of postal ballot till May 1st. In view of the fact that the Election Commission has extended the opportunity of postal ballots to the employees, who are on election duty, the employees should make use of it.
Similarly, in view of the shortage of staff in the polling centers, the EC has issued orders permitting the appointment of Anganwadis and contract employees as OPVs for election duties in accordance with the rules, he stated.
“An employee registered as a voter in any district or constituency, can exercise his right to vote at the facilitation center in the area, where he is performing his duties. As the staff on election duty will not have the opportunity to exercise their right to vote on the polling day, postal ballot facility has been provided to them and they should make a special request for the same,” the Collector explained.
The Government employees, who are on election duty, can exercise their right to vote through postal ballot before polling, the Collector informed. However, they should apply for the same. The officers, staff, assistant presiding officers, other polling officers, Flying Squad, Static Surveillance Team, Accounting, Sectoral Officers, BLOs, Police and Emergency Services personnel on election duty are eligible to get postal ballots.
Form 12 applications should be duly filled  and the election duty certificate, Aadhar card xerox, voter identity card xerox copies should be attached and submitted to the concerned ARO, the Collector stated, adding that that if an employee working in one district has a vote in another district, he can use this postal ballot at the facilitation center in the district where he is working.