TFP Bureau, Raipur; April 3, 2024: Under the leadership of Additional Chief Electoral Officer Shri Nileshkumar Mahadev Kshirsagar, a crucial meeting was convened with Postal Department officials to streamline the distribution process of postal ballots from service voters in anticipation of the forthcoming Lok Sabha Elections-2024. The meeting, held in the conference room of the Chief Electoral Officer’s office, aimed to ensure the seamless execution of electoral procedures.
During the session, Additional Chief Electoral Officer Mr. Nilesh Kumar Kshirsagar issued directives to the Postal Department officials to designate nodal officers and postmen in the headquarters districts of Lok Sabha parliamentary constituencies. These designated officers will oversee the distribution of postal ballots received from service voters, with distribution scheduled daily at 3:00 PM from the office of the respective Returning Officer.
Furthermore, instructions were provided to issue identity cards to authorized postmen facilitating postal ballot distribution, in coordination with the returning officer. This measure aims to streamline entry procedures for postmen on the day of counting, ensuring smooth operations during the electoral process. Emphasis was placed on adhering to special precautions for the timely distribution of postal ballots on the day of counting, considering postal services as essential.
In a bid to maximize participation among postal employees in the electoral process, information was disseminated regarding the procedure for obtaining postal ballots for voting. Postal employees were encouraged to apply to the Returning Officer using Form 12D within the stipulated timeframe.
Chief Electoral Officer Mrs. Reena Babasaheb Kangale highlighted the designation of 10 services as “Essential Services” for Chhattisgarh by the Election Commission of India during the meeting of state-level departmental nodal officers. Among these services are the Health Department, Electricity Department, Railway Transport, Posts and Telegram Department, BSNL, All India Radio, Doordarshan, Chhattisgarh State Cooperative Milk Union Limited, authorized media personnel, and the Food Corporation of India.
The Lok Sabha General Elections-2024 in Chhattisgarh are slated to be conducted in three phases. Electronic postal ballots were dispatched to 1603 service voters on March 30, 2024, for the first phase, with subsequent distributions planned for the second and third phases on April 8, 2024, and April 22, 2024, respectively.
The meeting saw the presence of Assistant Director of the Postal Department Mr. Alok Gomasta, Deputy Chief Electoral Officer (Postal Ballot) Mr. Vinay Kumar Aggarwal, and Pradeep Kumar Baidh, among others, underscoring the collaborative efforts towards ensuring a fair and efficient electoral process.
