GUILHERME ALMEIDA
MARGAO
For, the Election Commission, in a communique dated March 7 to Goa Electoral Officer has made it clear that the drop boxes for the postal ballot papers kept in the offices of the Returning Officers shall not be opened till the time of counting of votes. Moreover, the Election Commission communique says that the drop boxes should be opened by the Returning Officers only at the time of counting of votes.
What has indeed raised eyebrows and triggered confusion in the minds of the election officials is that the communique further says that “on opening the boxes at the time of counting, if any postal ballot paper relating to another
constituency is found wrongly dropped in the box, the same may be rejected as having been not properly/validly cast in the constituency concerned”.
Election officials say the latest EC communique may only end up rejecting postal ballots which are dropped by the poll personnel in the drop boxes of constituencies other than his/her constituency at the time of attending training sessions. “The possibility of rejection of postal ballots because of the new EC guideline cannot be ruled out,” remarked another official.
As per the earlier practice, the drop boxes were all opened on the eve of counting and the ballot papers segregated before distributing the same to respective Returning Officers.
When The Goan contacted a senior election official to shed light on the Election Commission latest communique concerning the postal ballots, he initially pointed out that since there are only two counting centres in the state, it is possible to deliver the postal ballots from one returning officer to another returning officer in the same counting centre. He, however, conceded that it may not be possible to deliver the postal ballot papers if they turn out from another district given the time factor.
The official, however, maintained silence when The Goan drew his attention of the senior Election officer that the EC communique categorically states that returning officers should reject postal ballots of other constituency found in the drop box.
District election officials, South were not ready for comment, but sources said there may be quite a few postal ballots, which were dropped in the drop boxes by the poll personnel at the place of their training centres. “Opening of the drop boxes on the eve of counting and segregating the postal ballots as per the earlier practices had helped the officials to hand over the postal ballots to the respective Returning officers”, an official said, adding they will certainly seek clarifications from the Chief Electoral office how to go about the matter, whether they can deliver the postal ballots from one Returning officer to another in the same counting centres or just reject the postal ballots of another constituency.
START WORRYING IF YOU DROPPED BALLOT
IN DROP BOX OUTSIDE YOUR CONSTITUENCY
If any postal ballot paper relating to another constituency is found wrongly dropped in the box, the same may be rejected as having been not properly/validly cast in the constituency concerned
As per the earlier practice, the drop boxes were all opened on the eve of counting and the ballot papers segregated before distributing the same to respective Returning Officers
Sources say there may be quite a few postal ballots, which were dropped in the drop boxes by the poll personnel at the place of their training centres
