NEW DELHI: With 97-98% of senior citizens aged above 80 years having preferred to vote in person in the past 11 assembly polls rather than avail of the postal ballot facility extended to them in 2020, the government on Friday, in consultation with the Election Commission, amended the Conduct of Election Rules (1961) to raise the minimum age for senior citizens, eligible for voting by postal ballot, to 85 years from 80 years.
As per Rule 27A of the Conduct of Election Rules, postal ballot facility was extended to senior citizens above 80 years, persons with disability, poll officers, and Covid-positive persons starting with the 2020 Bihar assembly poll, which coincided with the pandemic period.

However, a review by the Election Commission with the chief electoral officers of 11 states/UTs where assembly polls were held, showed that no more than 2-3% of 80-plus voters had opted to vote through postal ballots; the rest insisted on turning up at the polling station to cast their vote. The total number of senior citizens above 80 years is 1.75 crore, with those aged 80-85 years being 98 lakh.