Democracy Strengthened: Postal Ballots to be Counted First, Agrees EC

The Election Commission has agreed to the opposition's request to count postal ballots first on June 4, ahead of the Lok Sabha poll results. This decision, driven by a multi-party delegation's appeal, promotes democracy in a participatory, non-adversarial manner and addresses counting guidelines for senior citizens and differently-abled voters.

The Election Commission (EC) has acceded to the opposition's appeal, agreeing to prioritize the counting of postal ballots on June 4, ahead of the declaration of Lok Sabha poll results.

A multi-party delegation from the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), including Congress's Abhishek Singhvi, met with the EC on Sunday, pressing for clear counting guidelines to ensure postal ballot results are announced before those of electronic voting machines (EVMs).

The opposition stressed that this participatory approach promotes democracy in a non-adversarial fashion, especially significant given the increased use of postal ballots by senior citizens and differently-abled persons in this election.