Postal voting for first phase of West Bengal assembly polls underway

Absentee voters, elderly (over 80 years) and handicapped voters who cannot reach polling booths cast their votes for the first time in West Bengal. The first phase of the election would be held on March 27 and postal voting for the first phase would continue till March 25.

Kolkata: Postal ballot voting for the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly election started on Monday in East Midnapore. Absentee voters, elderly (over 80 years) and handicapped voters who cannot reach polling booths, cast their vote for the first time in West Bengal.

Election Commission started this system in the Bihar election and now they have arranged the same in West Bengal. Election Commission staffs have been going door to door to receive postal ballots from absentee voters. The first phase of the election would be held on March 27 and postal ballot voting for the first phase would continue till March 25.

There are 5,500 absentee voters at East Midnapore and 9500 absentee voters at West Midnapore. EC has appointed a 164-member team for postal ballot voting. In each group, there are one polling officer, two jawans from the central force, two men from state police and one videographer.