Apex court junks postal ballot plea for outstation students

NEW DELHI: Lakhs of students, pursuing studies at places far off from their native village or town, will not be allowed to exercise their franchise through postal ballot as Supreme Court refused to entertain a PIL seeking extension of the facility available at present to armed forces personnel or officers on election duty.

Appearing for the PIL petitioner, advocate P K Mullick told a bench of Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar that most of these young voters pursuing studies in different cities would like to exercise their franchise through postal ballot during elections.

ECI expressed its reluctance to extend postal ballot facilities to outstation students saying they could either go to their native place to vote or transfer their voter registration to the city or town where they are pursuing their studies.

With nearly 100 crore people eligible to vote in general elections, the CJI-led bench said, "Conduct of elections involving such a large voter base is a complex affair. We will not further complicate it by allowing postal ballot facilities to outstation students. Either you go to your native place to cast your vote or get your voter card registration transferred to the place of study. We can't help you."

In Dec last year, the apex court had rejected another PIL seeking a direction to ECI to allow participation of Indian diaspora (NRIs) in the election process by extending the facility of postal ballot to them.