Gursharan Kaur, widow of ex-PM Manmohan Singh, casts vote from home for Delhi Assembly poll

Gursharan Kaur, the 97-year-old widow of former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh, exercised her franchise for the Delhi Assembly election using the ‘vote from home’ services provided by the Election Commission. This facility allows elderly voters (85 ) and persons with disabilities (PwDs) to cast their votes from the comfort of their own homes.

Kaur was not the only one to utilise this facility. Veteran BJP leader Dr Murli Manohar Joshi, 91, and his 89-year-old wife Tarla Joshi also cast their votes from home. All of them were registered as absentee voters in the senior citizen category.

The voting from home facility was first introduced during the 2024 Lok Sabha election. In Delhi, 1,09,063 voters are above the age of 85, with 6,399 opting to vote from home. Additionally, 1,050 out of 79,114 voters with disabilities will also exercise their franchise from home.

A poll body officer emphasised the importance of this facility, stating, “By providing the home voting facility to senior citizens and PwDs, we express our care and respect towards them. Our goal is to make the electoral process accessible to all and to encourage greater participation.”

The voting process involves a team of polling officials and security personnel visiting the voter’s residence to collect their votes. Voters are notified in advance, and the entire process is videographed to ensure transparency.