TNI Bureau: In a first of its kind, the Election Commission on Tuesday allowed the mediapersons on poll duties to cast their votes through postal ballot in the current general election.

Earlier, though the postal ballot facility was extended to mediapersons in past few state elections, however, they were denied the right to vote for Lok Sabha elections by virtue of being away from their respective polling stations.

But, the election panel, after consulting the state/UT administrations, issued a notification adding the mediapersons to the list of ‘absentee voters on essential service’ or the “class of persons to give vote by postal ballot” under Section 60(c) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

The EC also added the State-wise/UT-wise lists of ‘class of persons’ eligible to vote by postal ballot in the notification.

The eligible journalists have to approach the returning officer (RO) of their respective constituency to avail the postal ballot facility.

The RO, either directly or through a nodal agency, will get him to sign Form 12D after seeing the authorisation letter issued with EC approval or possibly the PIB or state accreditation card.

Thereafter, the journalists may be given the postal ballot which they may mail back to the RO office, after marking the preferred candidate.