1. The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the schedule for the General Election to the Legislative Assembly of Bihar and the bye-elections to 8 Assembly Constituencies of 6 States and the UT of Jammu & Kashmir on October 6, 2025.
2. The Commission, as per Section 60 (c) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, has notified that electors above the age of 85 years and electors with benchmark disabilities may cast their vote through postal ballot.
3. Such electors can avail this facility using Form 12 D and submit to the Returning Officer through their BLO within 5 days of issuance of notification of election. Polling teams will collect their votes at their homes.
4. Electors on essential services on the date of poll can apply for the postal ballot facility through the designated Nodal officer of their respective department. Essential services such as Fire Services, Health, Electricity, Traffic, Ambulance Services, Aviation, long-distance Government Road Transport Corporations etc. are covered under this facility.
5. Media persons authorized by the Election Commission for poll day coverage have also been included in the category of absentee voters on essential services and are entitled to postal ballot facility.
6. Service voters will be sent their postal ballots electronically by the Returning officer through the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS), immediately on finalization of list of contesting candidates. Service voters are not required to bear the cost of postal services.
7. The Returning Officer/District Election Officer have also been directed to brief the political parties/contesting candidates regarding the above provisions.

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PK/GDH/RP