Mangaluru
A significant portion, totaling 22.3%, of senior citizens aged above 85 and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) have chosen the option of voting from home in Dakshina Kannada.
Out of the 35,980 individuals categorized under Absentee Voters for Senior Citizens (AVSC) and Persons with Disabilities (AVPD), 21,042 were issued Form 12D, with 8,009 applications approved by officials as of April 6. This approval rate highlights Dakshina Kannada as one of the districts with the highest percentage of approved Form 12D applications.
Pradeep D’Souza, overseeing the postal ballot process in Dakshina Kannada, explained that individuals aged 85 and above are automatically identified through their Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) details. PwDs must have a disability of 40% or more, documented in their EPIC, to qualify for the postal ballot.
This year, in Dakshina Kannada, a notable 22.3% of all AVSC and AVPD voters have opted for Form 12D, D’Souza stated. Additionally, approximately 182 people from essential services will cast their votes at the Deputy Commissioner’s office from April 19 onwards.
The process of 12D voting is scheduled from April 13 to 18, with 23 groups assigned in each taluk to visit the homes of AVSC and AVPD voters. Each group aims to reach out to a minimum of 30 individuals daily, with a provision for a second visit if the person is unavailable.
However, some AVPDs who requested home voting were denied the option as their details were not mentioned in the EPIC card.
During the 2023 state assembly polls, the age limit for AVSC in Dakshina Kannada was 80 years, increased to 85 years this time. In the previous election, a total of 12,788 individuals opted for postal voting, including 10,280 AVSCs, with 12,207 votes cast. This time, the number of AVSC voters has reduced due to the change in the age limit.
