Kashmiri migrants can vote through postal ballots: Ludhiana DEO

Ludhiana, March 29

District Election Officer (DEO) Sakshi Sawhney on Friday said Kashmiri migrant voters could exercise their right to franchise in the Lok Sabha elections through postal ballots or by visiting special polling stations set up in Delhi, Udhampur, and Jammu.

Migrant voters are those, who are originally residents of Kashmir division (UT of Jammu and Kashmir) as per the certificate issued by the Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner, but now reside in any part of the country.

Electors of Baramulla, Srinagar, and Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituencies are eligible for availing the facility by submitting Form-M (voting personally at special polling stations in Delhi, Jammu and Udhampur) and Form-12-C (postal ballot) which could be downloaded from the Election Commission of India (ECI) website. Migrant voters can fill out Form 12-C and Form M and visit the office of the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) for verification.

The ERO would check details of migrant Kashmir voters enrolled in their respective parliamentary constituencies (Assembly-wise) through ERONET. After verifying details in Form M, the ERO concerned would scan and upload the form to electronically transmit it to respective AROs for further necessary action. The hard copies would be sent to AROs in Delhi, Jammu, and Udhampur as per the case.

The ERO would also verify details in Form 12-C and, after signing the certificate and uploading the document, forward the same to ARO (Migrant) at Jammu who would send the postal ballot to the elector concerned through speed post. The elector would send back the postal ballot through the same mode to the returning officer concerned of the parliamentary constituency to which they originally belong. — TNS

Who are migrant voters?

Migrant voters are those, who are originally residents of Kashmir division (UT of Jammu and Kashmir) as per the certificate issued by the Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner, but now reside in any part of the country.