Delhi CEO underlines need to assist disabled voters in Lok Sabha polls

In keeping with the Election Commission's mission of 'leaving no voter behind', the Delhi CEO office will provide transport facility to differently-abled residents who, otherwise have no means to travel to polling booths, senior officials said on Monday. Delhi's Chief Electoral Officer Ranbir Singh told reporters that "persons with disability are marked in the electoral roll too".

"In pursuit of the Election Commission's mission of 'leaving no voter behind' and with a special focus on persons with disabilities, transport facility will be provided to differently-abled residents of the city who, otherwise have no means to travel to polling booths," he said. Asked if all the differently-abled persons would get that facility, he said, "No, only those in urgent need and people who have otherwise no means to travel will get that facility".

The official said people who have rendered incapacitated and living alone would benefit from this provision. Singh said, at booths, assured minimum facilities are provided and for the disabled ramps and wheelchairs are given.

"For visually-impaired, voter slips would be provided in Braille," he said. Braille is a script with raised dots that can be read with the fingers by people who are blind or who have low vision.

As part of its strategic framework for 'accessible elections', the commission has told all chief electoral officers to issue accessible photo voter slips with Braille to voters who are visually impaired or blind. Electronic voting machines already have a Braille feature. The ballot paper pasted on the machine with name and symbol of candidates is Braille-enabled.

The Election Commission also plans to provide Braille election photo identity cards to visually challenged voters across the country. A mobile app 'PwD' for persons with disabilities has also been developed by the EC for mapping of voters who are disabled.

The general elections will begin on April 11 and will be held in seven phases till May 19, followed by counting of votes on May 23. The Lok Sabha polls in Delhi are due on May 12. Delhi has seven Lok Sabha seats and 70 assembly constituencies.

Singh said polling stations will be established at 2,696 locations, adding a total of 13,816 polling stations would be set up with a model polling station in each assembly constituency. There are nearly 1.39 crore voters in the electoral roll of the national capital till date, an increase of nearly two lakh from the corresponding figure on January 18 this year.

(With inputs from agencies.)