Jaipur, Oct 11 : For the first time mediapersons have been included in the category of service voters by the Election Commission. In view of the forthcoming Assembly elections in Rajasthan, the Election Commission (EC) has notified the facility of voting through postal ballot to people working in eight essential services categories i.e. electricity, water, roadways, metro, dairy, fire department, medical and media personnel. Journalists have been included in the category of service voters for the first time. Till now, this facility was only available to employees and officers posted on election duty and Army and paramilitary personnel. After 2020, the EC started providing the facility of service vote to other departments which fall in the category of essential services. According to Rajasthan Election Commission CEO Praveen Gupta, doctors, para-medical staff, ambulance workers, electricians in the power department, linemen, pump operators, turners in PHED, employees working in milk committees of Rajasthan, drivers and conductors in roadways and media employees have been authorised to cast their votes through postal ballot from this year. The District Election Officer and Assistant Election Officer concerned will write to the departments in their respective areas. In turn, the departments will inform them about the number of employees they have and who will be on duty on the day of voting and who can abstain from voting. On the basis of that list, the Returning Officer will issue Form 12-D to those employees and they will be given the facility of voting through ballot paper. Praveen Gupta said that there are 1.41 lakh service voters out of over 5 crore voters in Rajasthan. There are more than 2.7 crore male voters and more than 2.5 crore women voters. On November 23, voting will be conducted in over 51,756 polling stations in the state. /IANS