With just two weeks left for the local body elections in Kerala, postal ballots, or rather their absence, have come into the spotlight.
The State Election Commission (SEC), which manages the elections to the local bodies, has received several requests for postal ballots, both from government and civilian groups, in the run-up to the elections. It is not that the local body elections do not have postal ballots at all. Only that they are restricted to officials directly connected to the conduct of the elections.
Unlike the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections managed by the Election Commission (EC) of India, the local body polls neither have postal ballots for general voters, nor service ballots or special ballots for vulnerable groups such as bedridden patients.
But this has not prevented different sections, including police personnel on duty at the Sabarimala temple and Fire and Rescue Services personnel, from approaching the commission with requests.
Rules as per Act
“The Panchayat Raj Act and the Municipality Act allow postal ballots only for officials on election duty,” State Election Commission A. Shajahan told The Hindu. Given the highly localised nature of the elections to panchayats, municipalities, and Corporations — when compared to an Assembly election — there are also logistical difficulties involved in introducing the facility. The introduction of such a facility would require amendments to the laws, according to him.
The 2020 local body elections did have postal ballots. But that came as a special case as the elections were held amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under the guidelines published by the commission then, ‘special voters’ — COVID-19 patients and those quarantined — were split into two groups. Electors testing positive or entering quarantine within 10 days of the election and till 3 p.m. on the day before the election were included on the certified List.
These electors were issued special postal ballot papers. The second group — who tested positive or were quarantined after 3 p.m. the day before and till the end of voting — were allowed to visit the polling booths directly after other voters had left.
On the other hand, the EC has a different system in place. For the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, for instance, voters above 85 years and Persons with Disabilities (PwD) were able to opt for the vote-from-home facility.
Through an amendment to the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, the minimum age for senior citizens eligible for the postal ballot facility was raised from 80 to 85. In the case of PwD voters, voters with 40% or more disability were able to opt for the facility.
The 2025 local body polls in Kerala are scheduled to be held in two phases on December 9 and December 11.
On Sunday, the State Election Commission had announced that the distribution of postal ballots for officials on election duty will begin on November 26.
Reschedule tiger census: CPI
Communist Party of India (CPI) State secretary Binoy Viswam has sought the rescheduling of the tiger census stating that the current schedule hinders Forest department officials from exercising their right to vote.
The census is currently scheduled to end on December 8. The first phase elections in Kerala are on December 9. It would be hard for officers on census duty to return from forest regions on December 8 to cast their votes the next day, Mr. Viswam said. He said he had written to the Head of Forest Force and the SEC raising this demand.
Published – November 25, 2025 05:06 am IST
