In a first, separate polling booth for differently abled

In a first of its kind initiative to ensure 100 per cent polling, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has taken steps to provide separate polling station for the differently abled voters. They can demand such a facility just by sending an SMS. 

“The District Electoral Officers in all 32 districts have been intimated about this,” official sources told DT Next. As per the instructions, differently abled voters in the state have been asked to send their Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) number as SMS to the toll-free number 1950. 

“The entire process will be centrally coordinated by the Elections department in Chennai. If the number of differently abled voters in a particular area is found to be more than 100, a separate polling station will be provided there after getting permission from the ECI,” District Electoral Officer of Tirunelveli district M Karunakaran said. The main idea behind this first of its kind initiative is to provide equal opportunities to the voters. 

It may be noted that ECI had also instructed during the announcement of election that as far as possible all polling stations should be located at the ground floor and ramps should be provided for the convenience of differently abled electors. 

The commission has also directed that the differently abled electors should be given priority for entering polling stations. Apart from this, special focus has also been laid for the sensitisation of the polling personnel regarding the unique needs of the differently abled. 

“We represented the issue to the Election Commission way ahead of the announcement of the election schedule,” M Kamaraj, a differently abled social worker with Thiramai, a movement working for the differently abled said, welcoming the move. He also thanked the ECI and many other organisations that represented the issue for making it possible.