Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS)

Under ETPBS, postal ballot is send electronically to a service voter. The service voter downloads it and uses a specific envelope to return it to the returning officer of his constituency.

The postal ballot should reach the returning officer by 8.00 am on the day of the counting. Counting of votes begin with counting of postal ballots at 8 am.

ETPBS is developed by Election Commission of India (ECI) with the help of Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC)

The system has two layers of security while OTP and PIN are used to ensure secrecy of the voter. An unique QR Code is used to make sure there is no duplication of casted Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot (ETPB).

The ETPBS is implemented inline with the existing Postal Ballot System, only the ballot will be transmitted through electronic Means to the voters.

So far, the ETPBS facility is only available to service voters (paramilitary forces, military and government officials deployed in diplomatic missions etc).

OTP is required to download encrypted Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot file and a PIN is required to decrypt, print and deliver ETPB.

Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS) is the one-way electronic transmission of the Postal ballots to the Service Voters. The Service Voter then cast their vote and send it to the respective returning officer via Post.

Related Info

Section 62 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 envisages right to vote for every citizen registered in the electoral roll who is not subject to disqualification for voting.

The EC had suggested amending the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, to extend ETPBS for overseas electors. The rules wre amended in October, 2016 to allow service voters use ETPBS.

According to Election Commission, the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS) facility would not be extended to overseas voters in the upcoming assembly polls in 5 states.

In December, 2020 the ECI had proposed to extend the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS) facility to eligible overseas Indian voters.

Current process of voting for NRIs

According to a UN report of 2015, India's diaspora population is the largest in the world at 16 million people.

NRIs' voting rights were introduced in 2011 only, by ammending the Representation of the People Act 1950. As per current provisions an Indian citizens living abroad can only vote in person in the constituency of his place of residence as mentioned in his passport.

He has to produce his passport in original at the polling station for establishing identity.

Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS)