BSF jawans protecting Indo-Pak border will not be able to cast their vote in upcoming assembly elections in four states of India. BSF jawans deployed at the Indo-Pak border are disappointed as this is the first time that they did not get a postal ballot to cast their votes for the assembly elections in the four states. The Election Commission has not taken any steps yet to help the jawans cast their votes.
BSF senior official sources said during every assembly and general elections, BSF jawans deployed at the border generally get postal ballot prior to the election date through registered post and then after casting their vote they send it back to the district election officer. But this time, these jawans and officers have not got any postal ballot for the assembly elections at Rajasthan, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
Constable Mohan Ram (name changed) deployed at BSF’s Indo Pak border post adjoining Jaisalmer said he is a resident of Alwar district and was eagerly waiting for the assembly elections and as in these days, many companies of BSF are busy in election duty, the country’s security becomes more important, which is the reason they will not get a leave on December 1. This time, his vote will go waste and he would feel bad about it, added Ram.
Ram is not the only constable who is disappointed for not being able to cast his vote. Constable Lalit Singh, resident of Kotputli in Jaipur district said he gets the details about the elections from his family members, but he feels disappointed as he cannot give his vote. Prior to elections, it is the security of the country that matters most and in his free time, he discusses elections with this friends and relaxes himself, Singh added. Apart from these, there are many jawans from Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh who are equally sad for not being able to participate in the elections.
Jaisalmer district election officer and collector N L Meena said he had 841 service voters in Jaisalmer district and postal ballots have been sent to them through registered post. He does not know whether this list included the BSF jawans deployed at the border or not, he added.
src: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/BSF-jawans-get-no-postal-ballot-in-Jodhpur/articleshow/26597067.cms