Kolkata: The Election Commission has set the ball rolling for allowing voting through postal ballots for bus crew who will be engaged in election duty in Kolkata and its adjoining areas and will be unable to physically attend their respective polling booths to cast their franchise.
The step has brought relief to around 5,000 crew members of 1,500 buses and minibuses that are expected to be involved by the poll body for the second-phase elections on April 29.
The vehicle owners and associations have been asked to collect Form 12 from their nearest PVD (Public Vehicle Department) office for postal ballots and distribute them among all drivers and khalasis.
The drivers and khalasis have been directed to fill out Form 12 properly and submit the completed form at
their respective District Election Offices along with documents like photocopies of EPIC cards, a declaration from the vehicle owner, and a photocopy of the requisition order. All are requested to ensure timely compliance.
The bus operators had written to the state Transport Department a few days back to take it up with the Election Commission and frame guidelines regarding the postal ballot voting facility for the bus crew.
“We always want the voting rights of the bus crew to be secured and we are hopeful that this move will ensure that,” said Tito Saha of City Suburban Bus Service, who had submitted a letter in this regard to the Principal Secretary of the Transport Department on Monday. The poll body has asked for Form 12 to be deposited along with all requisite documents by Monday (April 13). However, the bus operators will seek some more time for the process.