Meet 100-year-old Jyotsna Das who has cast her vote for the Lok Sabha election from her home for the first time on Wednesday, as the home voting process for the West parliamentary constituency started this morning.
Speaking with reporters, Jyotsna said that due to her illness, she is unable to go out of her home.
"I am 100 years old. This is the first time I have voted from home in a Lok Sabha election. Earlier, I used to go to polling stations to cast my vote, but this time it was not possible. It is easier to cast a vote by sitting at home," she said.
The Returning Officer of the West Parliamentary Constituency, Dr. Vishal Kumar, stated that the scheduled dates for home voting in this Parliamentary Constituency are April 10 and 12, enabling participation from individuals above 85 years of age, persons with disabilities, suspected Covid-19 sufferers, and those already infected with Covid-19 who have applied to vote by postal ballot using Form 12D.
He mentioned that around 4,500 voters in the West Parliamentary Constituency have opted for home voting.
According to the directive, each polling sector will be assigned a dedicated sector officer responsible for overseeing the process. Additionally, a comprehensive team comprising a micro observer, two polling officers, a videographer, and security personnel will facilitate the smooth execution of the door-to-door polling.
Litan Chandra Bhowmik, a resident of Bhattapukur in Agartala, expressed his happiness after casting his vote at home. This is the first time he has cast his vote at home.
"I am a PwD (Persons with Disabilities) voter; that is why I will face problems going to cast my vote in polling stations. This is the first time I have cast my vote at home. Last year, I also went to polling stations to vote with a helper, but it was very tough for me due to heavy lines," he said.
An official deployed for the home voting process said that they would try to conclude the home voting process today, and if not done, then on the 12th of this month, they will visit houses for home voting again.