A crucial demand to extend home-based voting facilities to senior citizens above 80 years of age and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) for the upcoming Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) elections dominated discussions at a key meeting on Thursday. The meeting, chaired by Municipal Commissioner Abhijeet Chaudhari, saw representatives from various political parties advocating strongly for the measure, which has been successfully implemented in recent Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
Political Consensus on Inclusion, But Awaiting SEC Directive
Representatives from political parties presented a unified front, arguing that the home voting facility had significantly reduced physical hardship for elderly and differently-abled voters in state and national polls, thereby improving voter turnout. Former corporators Narendra Borkar, Sandeep Jadhav, and Sanjay Bangale highlighted that many senior citizens had expressed their inability to visit polling booths due to health issues. They warned that excluding home voting from the civic polls could lead to large-scale disenfranchisement of these vulnerable voter groups.
In response, Municipal Commissioner Chaudhari clarified the administrative position. He stated that while the concerns were valid, the NMC's hands were tied as it operates strictly under directives from the State Election Commission (SEC). "The civic body cannot independently introduce house voting for municipal elections," Chaudhari explained. However, acknowledging the urgency, he assured the meeting that the NMC administration would forward a formal proposal to the SEC, seeking clarity and explicit approval to extend the facility for eligible voters in the NMC elections.
Election Preparedness and Model Code of Conduct
The meeting also served as a platform to review overall election preparedness. Commissioner Chaudhari urged all political parties to ensure strict adherence to the Model Code of Conduct to guarantee free, fair, and peaceful elections. He specifically cautioned against any content in print, electronic, or social media that could potentially create social discord.
To streamline the process for candidates, the civic body has activated a single-window system at the NMC headquarters for issuing 'No Objection Certificates' (NOCs), which are mandatory while filing nomination papers. Additionally, election officers will be stationed at all zonal offices to issue zone-level permissions and documents. Key operational decisions announced include:
- Nomination forms will be accepted only in offline mode.
- The expenditure limit for candidates has been capped at Rs 15 lakh.
- Polling booths will remain within their respective prabhags and, as far as possible, within a two-kilometre radius to minimise voter confusion.
- Booths with an excessive voter load (currently 1,200 to 1,500 voters) will be split to rationalise the number to a more manageable 700 to 900 voters per booth.
The Final Decision Rests with State Election Commission
With the formal proposal set to be dispatched, the ball is now in the court of the State Election Commission. Its decision will be pivotal in determining whether Nagpur's elderly and disabled voters can exercise their democratic right from the comfort of their homes. The meeting was attended by senior civic officials including Chief Accounts and Finance Officer S S Shelke, deputy commissioners Nirbhay Jain and Milind Meshram, and assistant commissioner Shyam Kapse.
As the city gears up for the civic polls, the inclusion of home voting has emerged as a significant test of administrative responsiveness and electoral inclusivity. All stakeholders now await the SEC's verdict on this critical issue.
