EC issues instructions regarding undelivered ballot papers

CHANDIGARH: The Election Commission of India today issued instructions to all the Returning Officers in the state with regard to undelivered postal ballot papers during the February 4 Assembly election in Punjab.

Communicating the instructions of the EC to all the District Election Officers and Returning Officers, Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, V K Singh said the postal ballot papers returned undelivered could be re-issued on the request of the elector concerned.

He said under Rule-26 of CE Rules 61, if the postal ballot paper and other related documents sent by post is returned to the RO undelivered, then the RO may re-issue them by post or may deliver it to the elector personally on a request being made by him or her.

The Punjab CEO also said in cases where postal ballot paper is returned undelivered and there is no request for the re-issue, then the RO has been instructed to keep them separately in an envelope superscribed "Postal Ballot Papers Returned Undelivered".

The RO has also been asked to maintain a day-to-day record of the number of such postal ballots returned undelivered.

The envelope should be sealed and kept in a safe custody of the DEO, along with the documents specified in sub-rule (2) of Rule 92 of CE Rules 61.

Singh also said on the day of counting, the candidates would be intimated the total number of such postal ballot papers returned undelivered.