Transport facility available for people with disabilities to reach polling booth

Persons with Disabilities can avail transport facility to exercise their franchise in the forthcoming elections to the Legislative Assembly.

In a press release on March 20, District Election Officer and Collector V. Mohanachandran has said that the the Election Commission had formulated a detailed plan and a set of facilities for the Persons with Disabilities (PwD) to exercise their franchise in the forthcoming elections.

The Election Commission has rolled out “Saksham”, a mobile application through which the Persons with Disabilities can apply for Elector Photo Identity Card document, place a request for “pick up and drop” facility to commute to the polling booth and avail a wheelchair at the polling station. A “voice and assistance” facility for visually impaired and “text-to-speech” for hearing impaired will be extended to the PwD voters.

While ramp facilities exist at almost all the polling stations, electors information slips in Braille will be distributed to the visually impaired voters.

Further, PwD voters with above 40% disability factor can avail postal ballot facility and in case if they prefer to exercise their franchise at the polling booths an assistant having completed 18 years of age will be allowed to accompany them to the voting enclosure at the polling station. Volunteers to assist PwD electors will be posted at the polling stations, the release added.