The Election Commission (EC) of India has rolled out a groundbreaking initiative to empower the democratic process and encourage greater participation of the elderly and disabled in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly Elections.

 The EC announced the poll dates on Wednesday, last week and introduced the 'Vote for Home' (VFH) facility, which will allow senior citizens aged over 80 and people with disabilities to cast their votes from the comfort of their own homes. This first-of-its-kind initiative will ensure greater participation of these segments of society in the election process, allowing them to exercise their right to vote without having to physically visit a polling station.

The initiative comes ahead of the Assembly Elections, which will be held on May 10, with results announced on May 13. The state of Karnataka has a voter base of 5.21 crore people, out of which 12.15 lakh voters are above the age of 80 and little more than 5 lakh voters have some form of disability. Additionally, about 9.17 lakh first-time voters will be eligible to cast their vote for the first time.

The EC will deploy polling teams to lakhs of designated homes on pre-informed dates, where they will collect postal ballots from residents who have opted for VFH. This initiative will reduce the rigors of visiting a polling station and ensure the safety and comfort of elderly citizens and people with disabilities. The BBMP officials have taken up a door-to-door campaign to inform residents about the new facility, particularly the elderly, to make the process smooth and hassle-free.

The initiative is being hailed as a major step towards making the democratic process more inclusive and accessible for all, regardless of their age or physical abilities.