Chhattisgarh polls: 102-year-old woman votes in Antagarh through postal ballot as part of ECI's 'home facility'

Kanker: A 102-year-old woman in a village in Naxal-affected Antagarh Assembly constituency in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district on Friday voted through postal ballot as a part of a 'home voting facility' being provided by the Election Commission of India to those in the 80 plus age segment, officials said.

As per the ECI, voters above the age of 80, persons with disabilities (more than 40 per cent) and those infected with COVID-19 can cast their votes from home in the Assembly polls, which are scheduled for November 7 and 17.

'Under this provision, Budhiyarin Bai, a resident of Kodokhasgaon village under Antagarh Assembly seat, exercised her franchise through postal ballot from her home on Friday. In Kanker district, there are about 350 such voters who will be provided this service,' polling officer Shikhar Soni said.

Antagarh is among 20 seats that will go to polls in the first phase, while the voting in the remaining 70 seats will take place on November 17.

A total 1,648 requests for availing home voting service have been received in the first phase of polls in 20 constituencies, said a poll official in Raipur.

'There are about 58,000 registered voters who are eligible for this service in these 20 constituencies. So only 3 per cent of such persons have applied for this facility, which means others are willing to go to polling booths on the day of voting,' he said.

'To avail this service, eligible voters have to fill form 12D within five days of notification of the election. There are more than 2 lakh octogenarian voters in Chhattisgarh,' he added.

Votes will be counted in the state on December 3.