Kerala Assembly Elections 2026: Voter Turnout Reaches 79.7% with Inclusion of Postal Ballots for Service Voters, Reports CEO

The Chief Electoral Officer has reported that a total of 53,984 postal ballots have been distributed to service voters in the current election cycle. As of May 1, 20,028 of these ballots have been returned and received by election officials.

Service voters, which typically include members of the armed forces and certain other government personnel stationed away from their registered voting locations, are able to utilize postal ballots to participate in elections. The issuance and return of postal ballots are critical for ensuring that these voters can exercise their democratic rights, particularly when they cannot physically attend polling stations. The Chief Electoral Office is closely monitoring the ongoing return of these ballots, emphasizing their importance in maintaining electoral participation among service members.