Reference:

• The Election Commission of India organized an international conference in Kolkata to make the postal ballot system more inclusive, secure, and accessible.

Key Highlights:

• Organizers: The conference was jointly organized by the Election Commission of India's India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) and International IDEA.
• Main Objective: To hold global discussions on making the postal ballot system more inclusive, secure, and accessible.

Categories Eligible for Postal Ballot:

• Service Voters: Members of the Armed Forces and government employees posted outside India.
• Personnel on Election Duty: Police personnel and polling officials deployed away from their own constituencies.
• Preventive Detention: Persons kept in preventive custody (Note: Ordinary prisoners in India are not entitled to vote).
• Special Category (Amended Rules): Senior citizens aged above 85 years and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) with more than 40% disability.
• What is ETPBS? It stands for Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System, which is used exclusively for service voters.

Statutory Provisions and Rules:

• The Representation of the People Acts, 1950 and 1951 form the legal basis for electoral processes and voter eligibility in India.
• The entire postal ballot process is governed under the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961.
• On the day of counting, postal ballots are counted first.

Election Commission of India (ECI):

• Established: 25 January 1950
• Constitutional Provision: Part XV (Articles 324–329) of the Constitution of India
• Composition: Became a multi-member body after the Election Commissioner (Amendment) Act, 1989.
• Chief Election Commissioner (CEC): Gyanesh Kumar
• Appointment: By the President of India
• Tenure: Fixed term of 6 years or until attaining the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.
• National Voters' Day: 25 January

Election Commission – Constitutional Provisions:

• Part of the Constitution: Elections are covered under Part XV (15).
• Article 324: Empowers the Election Commission with the superintendence, direction, and control of elections.
• Article 325: No person can be excluded from the electoral roll on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, etc.
• Article 326: Elections to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies shall be based on universal adult suffrage.
• Article 327: Parliament may make laws relating to elections.
• Article 328: State Legislatures may make provisions regarding elections to their respective legislatures.
• Article 329: Courts cannot interfere in electoral matters except through an election petition.
• Voting Age: The 61st Constitutional Amendment Act, 1989 reduced the minimum voting age from 21 years to 18 years.

India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM):

• It is the advanced training, research, and capacity-building arm of the Election Commission of India (ECI).
• Established: June 2011 by the Election Commission of India. (It completed 15 years in June 2026.)
• Major Functions: Electoral training, global capacity building, research, and innovation.

International IDEA:

• Full Form: International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance
• Established: 1995 in Stockholm, Sweden, by 14 founding countries, including India.
• Headquarters: Stockholm, Sweden
• Since 2003, it has held Observer Status in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
• Member Countries: Currently has 35 member states.
• Observer Countries: The United States (USA) and Japan are its official observer countries.
• India's Status: India is a founding member of the organization.
• Historic Milestone: For the first time, India assumed the Chairmanship of the International IDEA Council of Member States for the year 2026.
• India's Representative: Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar is serving as the Chair of the Council on behalf of India.
• Theme of India's Chairmanship: "Democracy for an Inclusive, Peaceful, Resilient and Sustainable World."