Kerala High Court Directs Urgent Steps To Ensure Postal Ballots For Voters On Election Duty

The Kerala High Court on Wednesday (08 April) directed immediate corrective steps to ensure that election duty personnel receive their postal ballots without delay.Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas passed the order while considering a writ petition filed by the Kerala N.G.O. Union, which had alleged large-scale denial of voting rights to government officials deployed for election duty.According to the petition, although election duty officers are statutorily entitled to vote via postal ballot under Rules 18A and 20 of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, a significant number of such officers have not received their ballots despite timely submission of Form 12 applications.With polling just a day away, the plea sought urgent judicial intervention to safeguard their voting rights.The designated window for casting postal vote is April 1 to April 8, which has reportedly proven ineffective due to delays in ballot distribution. The petitioner claims that even as of April 6, many facilitation centres had not received ballot papers, forcing officers to return without voting.The petition further states that on April 8, the polling personnel must collect voting machines and election materials and travel to assigned booths. The petition argues that the continuous and mandatory nature of these duties makes it “practically impossible” for officers to cast their votes on that day.As a result, the Union contends that a large section of government employees who are themselves responsible for conducting free and fair elections stand to be completely deprived of their right to vote.Taking note of the urgency of the matter, the Court recorded the submission of the respondents, that steps would be taken to ensure delivery of postal ballots to eligible voters on election duty.The Court directed that such ballots be made available to those who have not yet received them, provided that the list of affected personnel is communicated to the Nodal Officers at the designated Voter Facilitation Centres. The Court added that this exercise must be completed “at the earliest,” and in any case before 2:00 p.m. on April 8. The matter has been posted for further consideration at 3:30 p.m.Case Title: Kerala N.G.O Union v Election Commission of IndiaCase No: WP(C) 14279/ 2026Counsel for Petitioner: Dinesh Mathew J. Muriscken, Vinod S. Pillai, Nayana Barghese, Jerry Peter, Goutham ChandrasekharCounsel for Respondent: M Ajay (SC- ECI), Deepu Lal MohanClick Here To Read/ Download Interim Order

Kerala High Court Directs Urgent Steps To Ensure Postal Ballots For Voters On Election Duty

Anamika MJ

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