Kerala High Court Presses Election Commission on Fix for Missed Postal Votes Before Counting

Overview

• The High Court directed the Election Commission of India to explain whether it can arrange extra facilities for voters who could not cast postal ballots and listed the matter for further hearing.
• The bench recorded arguments invoking Rule 27 of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, which permits counting of postal votes that reach the returning officer before counting starts, keeping a remedy on the table.
• One petitioner, a state employee, says he followed the postal voting steps yet lost his vote, while the Kerala NGO Union reports large‑scale difficulties for officials deployed on election duty.
• The court noted that the ECI had assured on April 8 that polling personnel would be enabled to vote by post, yet many reported late ballot delivery and a tight April 1–8 window that clashed with collection of voting machines.
• Counting is scheduled for May 4, and any court‑endorsed measure could influence close races where postal ballots may determine the winner.