Summary:
In assembly by-polls earlier this year, in Mandalgarh there were just 22 service voters while in the Lok Sabha by elections in Alwar and Ajmer there were 9223 and 2335 respectively who used ETPBS. Also, the process of getting ballot paper through post and then sending it back was too tedious. According to Election Commission there 1.1 lakh service voters in the state.“I have been in army for last 17 years and have never cast a vote though I am registered simply because I could never get leave whenever the elections were held. JAIPUR: In the upcoming elections in Rajasthan, over 1 lakh service voters will be able to use the new provision for downloading the ballot online and then sending it by post for casting their vote.Although it was used in bypolls earlier this year, this is the first time that the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS) is being used for assembly elections in Rajasthan. The percentage of service voters will definitely increase because of ease of availability of the ballot paper even in the remotest of locations.”According to the Election Commission Office, Rajasthan, in 2013 assembly elections there were 103168 service electors though they do have a separate data as to how many of those voted..