The Election Commission, keen to make polls more accessible for the differently-abled, has ordered state chief electoral officers to arrange pick-and-drop facility for all such voters on polling day. Government vehicles shall be used for the purpose.
In addition, the EC has directed that voters who are visually impaired or blind should be issued accessible photo voters slips with braille features, over and above the normal photo voter slips.
TOI/Representational Image
As per a count of persons with disabilities taken by states due for polls later this year, Madhya Pradesh has 3.40 lakh voters in this category, Chhattisgarh 1.12 lakh and Mizoram 3,915 voters.
The commission has, in a separate communication to chief electoral officers of all states and Union territories, directed them to also assign officials as coordinators for inclusion of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in election process for every state, district and assembly constituency. These coordinators will be responsible for implementing the EC¡¯s directives and instructions on making polls accessible for PWDs and also for rendering an effective grievance redressal mechanism for such voters.
BCCL
As per a direction issued by EC on September 27, 2018, transport facility should be arranged for PWDs in each and every polling station on day of poll ¡°to ensure (their) wholesome and constructive participation....in the electoral process¡±. The returning officer or district election officer will be responsible for the transportation exercise for PWDs. A transport nodal officer would be appointed for each district. ¡°Each and every voter with disability should be tagged polling station wise and he/she should be picked up from his/her residence and dropped back there after he/she has cast his/her vote,¡± directed EC.
BCCL
All states and UTs are were earlier asked by EC to map persons with disabilities constituency-wise and polling station-wise. While the figures for states due for assembly polls later this year are in, the count of voters with disabilities in respect of other states will be known when the new rolls for 2019 are published in January.