Former PM Manmohan Singh avails EC's home voting facility

New Delhi, May 24 (PTI) Former prime minister Manmohan Singh cast his vote through postal ballot last week for the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi, sources said here on Friday.

The sources said Singh, 91, voted at his residence as he is not keeping well. Singh is residing at Motilal Nehru Marg in central Delhi and he voted in the New Delhi Lok Sabha constituency, where Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Somnath Bharti of the INDIA bloc is pitted against Bansuri Swaraj of the BJP.

The former prime minister availed the facility provided by the Election Commission (EC) for the first time in Lok Sabha elections for the elderly above the age of 85 years to cast their vote at home. The facility has also been provided by the EC for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).

Former vice president Mohammad Hamid Ansari, former deputy prime minister L K Advani and former Union minister Murli Manohar Joshi also cast their votes using the home voting facility last week, the sources said.

Voters above 85 years of age and PwDs with 40 per cent benchmark disability can avail the optional home voting facility, the EC has said.

It said this initiative marks a significant stride towards ensuring inclusivity and accessibility of the electoral process and in bolstering democratic participation.

There are over 81 lakh voters above the age of 85 years in the country and over 90 lakh who are persons with disabilities registered as voters across the country.

Delhi has around one lakh voters who are above the age of 85 years.

Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi will cast their vote at Nirman Bhawan.

Voting for all the seven Lok Sabha constituencies in Delhi will take place on Saturday. PTI