NEW DELHI: Among the many milestones recorded by Election Commission during the recently concluded Lok Sabha Election 2019, Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS) is one of its kind.
In the seven phases Lok Sabha polls, a total of 18,02,646 postal ballots were dispatched electronically using the flagship IT programme Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballots System (ETPBS) of Election Commission of India. In return 10,84,266 e-postal ballots were received indicating 60.14 per cent turnout, the Election Commission said in a statement on Sunday.
Out of the total number of Service Electors in 2019 polls, 10,16,245 were from Ministry of Defence; 7,82,595 from Ministry of Home Affairs (Central Armed Police Forces); 3539 of Ministry of External Affairs and State Police 267.
With the motto of ‘no voter to be left behind’, ETPBS had empowered and ensured all eligible service electors with their constitutional power to vote while performing their duty for the nation.
According to the statement, compared to 13,27,627 number of registered Service Electors of last General Election in 2014, a record highest number of 18,02,646 were enrolled as Service Electors in 2019 in the world’s largest democratic election process.
The EC said, for the first time, enabled through the dedicated portal registration, the service voters were sent postal ballots electronically, which saved processing time, resources and avoided human errors.
Persons working in Central Forces under Arms Act and Government officials deployed in Embassies outside the country were classified as Service Voters and were provisioned for online enrollment.
ETPBS is a fully secured system, having two security layers.
The EC apprised that via this system the service voters cast their vote on an electronically received postal ballot, from anywhere outside their constituency, thus reducing the chances of losing the voting opportunity.
The purpose of the online system was to create convenient and easy-to-use online system for Defense Personnel to become Service Voters. Service Voter turnout in 2014 was only four per cent, the statement added.
(AGENCIES)
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