Service voter

Polity & Governance glossary

Topic: Elections and the Electoral System · NCERT: Class 9, Ch 7 "Elections"

Meaning

A service voter is a voter whose job keeps them away from their home constituency. Under the RPA 1950, this covers three groups:

  • members of the armed forces;
  • members of a state's armed police serving outside that state;
  • people in a government job abroad.

They stay enrolled in their home constituency even though they live elsewhere. They do not have to travel home to vote. They can use a postal ballot, including the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS). Armed forces voters can also name a proxy. This keeps universal adult franchise real for people serving the country away from home.

Example

Under ETPBS, started in 2016, a jawan posted in a remote area receives the ballot electronically. The jawan then prints it, marks the vote and sends it back by post. Postal ballots like this are counted first on counting day.

Don't confuse with

  • Overseas elector: an Indian citizen living abroad for private reasons, such as work or study (s.20A, 2010). They must vote in person at their constituency. Service voters abroad hold government posts and can vote by post.

Related concepts

Read more