The Election Commission has revised the rules relating to counting of postal ballots, making it mandatory for all postal ballot papers to be counted before the penultimate round of EVM and VVPATS counting is taken up.

In a statement, the commission said that the 30th initiative aims to streamline postal ballot counting to enhance speed, transparency and uniformity. The commission said that the move comes amid a substantial rise in postal ballots following recent measures for home voting for persons with disabilities and senior citizens above 85 years.

ECI also directed returning officers to ensure sufficient tables and counting staff in cases where there are a large number of postal ballots, so that the process is completed without delays.