Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has not provided a clear explanation regarding allegations that more than 10,000 government officials were unable to cast their votes in the Assembly elections in the state.

According to figures released by the EC on April 13, 7.49 per cent of polling officials did not vote. Out of 1.46 lakh polling personnel, 1,35,068 had voted, though the Commission stated that these figures were not final.

Following allegations by service organisations that the remaining officials were denied voting rights, political parties have also entered the controversy.

The arrangements were made for polling staff to cast their votes at the facilitation centres. However, the initial complaint was that ballot papers did not arrive even after officials visited multiple times on different days. The Commission stated that arrangements were made for voting at the distribution centres where polling materials were issued.

Service organisations, however, criticised that in some distribution centres only a portion of the postal ballots had arrived, allegedly denying voting rights to the rest. They also pointed to lapses by some returning officers in ensuring ballot availability for staff.

Chief Electoral Officer Dr Rathan U. Kelkar stated that all eligible officials were given the opportunity to vote and that procedures were completed in accordance with the law. It is also unclear whether all 1.46 lakh polling officials had applied for postal voting.

A petition filed by the NGO Union against the alleged denial of voting rights will be considered only after May 18, as the court is on vacation. By then, vote counting will be completed, and a new government will be in place.