The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI(M)) has formally requested the Election Commission to ensure that employees assigned to election duties can exercise their voting rights. The party's Kerala State secretary highlighted concerns over the new voting system, which has abolished the previous postal voting option, creating 'ambiguities and complexities' that could prevent staff from voting. The representation to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) pointed out that the authorities responsible for facilitating voting for these employees are ignoring the challenges posed by the new system. The CPI(M) criticized the CEO's reluctance to provide clear guidelines regarding postal ballots and called for transparency in reporting how many election duty officers applied for postal voting. Additionally, the party emphasized the difficulties faced by employees in essential services, particularly those stationed in remote districts, as they struggle to reach polling centers and return to their duties. This situation, according to the CPI(M), risks disenfranchising many voters.