Kashmir Valley's visually impaired man becomes first to utilize EC's home voting facility

Visually impaired Ali Mohammad Rather cast the first vote under the new home voting facility in Srinagar for the Jammu and Kashmir Lok Sabha constituency. The facility allows those unable to visit polling stations to vote from home, starting from the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Rather became the first person in Kashmir to utilize this facility. Another early voter was a 90-year-old woman, 'Fazi', who beamed with pride after casting her vote from home in the Harwan area.

Ali Mohammad Rather, a visually impaired person, was the first to vote for the election to Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency on Tuesday under the new home voting facility.

The facility was started by the Election Commission for the 2024 Lok sabha elections for those who are not able to visit polling stations to exercise their franchise.

Rather, 75, hailing from the Dara area of the Hazratbal assembly segment in Srinagar district became the first person in the Kashmir Valley to cast his vote through the home voting facility, an official of the District Election Office, Srinagar, said.

''The first home vote has been cast and sealed in a ballot box at Dara for blind voter (People with Disability) Ali Mohd Rather in part 68 of 19-Hazratbal segment,'' the official said.

Voting for the seat will be held on May 13 in the fourth round of the seven-phase general elections. The other early voter was a 90-year-old woman from the Harwan area of the city.

The nonagenarian, who goes by the mononym 'Fazi', was beaming with pride after casting her vote from her home at Harwan.

A team of officials from the district election office on Tuesday went to various places in Srinagar, including the Dal Lake area, to facilitate voters who had registered themselves under the home voting facility to exercise their franchise.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)