Shimla: In the Himachal Pradesh Assembly Elections, Employees of essential services to cast vote through postal ballot paper.

Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Maneesh Garg said that Absentee Voters in Essential Services (AVES) can cast their vote through postal ballot by submitting Form 12-D to the Returning Officer (RO).

Garg further elaborated that this category of essential services officials include Doctors, Para-Medical Staff, Ambulance Service of Health Department, Driver and Conductors of HRTC, excluding local route bus services, Fire Services, the staff on milk supply service of HP State Milk Federation and Milk Cooperative Societies, local media persons authorized by ECI, Pump Operator and Turner in Jal Shakti Department and Electrician and Lineman in HPSEB, who are enrolled in electoral rolls can cast their vote through Postal Ballot.

“A certificate in this behalf will be issued to these AVES by the concerned Nodal Offices of respective departments,” Garg further added.

The CEO said that such applications seeking postal ballot facility should reach the Returning Officer (RO) till 21st October 2022. This facility is being extended for the first time in Himachal Pradesh.