Ranchi: Special measures such as voting from home, free transport to polling stations, installation of ramps, provision of wheelchairs and Braille-enabled electronic voting machines (EVMs) have been taken to facilitate voting to over 6.82 lakh voters above 80 years of age. ) is being implemented. An election official said on Sunday that people with disabilities in Jharkhand.
Lok Sabha elections for 14 seats in Jharkhand will be held in four phases - on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1.
With over 2.55 crore eligible voters, including 1.25 crore women, the state is gearing up for a major electoral exercise.
Among the eligible voters, about 3.22 lakh are above 80 years of age, while about 3.60 lakh are disabled.This includes approximately 63,000 visually impaired voters and 45,000 speech and hearing impaired voters. Additionally, around 1.39 lakh voters are above 85 years of age.
To ensure accessibility and convenience for all voters, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Jharkhand K Ravi Kumar has taken several initiatives under the motto of “No Voter Left Behind”.
These initiatives include providing pick and drop facilities for elderly and disabled voters with a dedicated vehicle at each polling station. Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are compiling lists of voters who need assistance to vote at their doorstep."Persons with disabilities and elderly voters above 80 years of age can avail the pick and drop facility as per their wish. A vehicle is being arranged at each polling station for this purpose. Booth Level Officer (BLO) Preparing a list of voters who want to do so. Practice door-to-door voting," Kumar said.
An application called Saksham has been designed by the Election Commission to facilitate requests for pick and drop services and other facilities on the polling day.“The application also has a facility to lodge requests for wheelchair or other facilities on the day of polling,” he said.
Additionally, all EVMs in Jharkhand are equipped with Braille features, allowing visually impaired voters to easily identify the symbol of their favorite party.
He said, "This time Braille is inbuilt in the ballot units. This feature is enabled in all M3 electronic voting machines in Jharkhand. Earlier there were M2 machines in which we had to stick Braille stickers.,
All polling stations are located on the ground floor and provision of ramps is being ensured at all booths. "So far, ramps have been installed at 98 per cent of polling stations across the state," he said.
29,521 polling stations have been set up across the state, separate queues will be created for disabled voters and senior citizens to reduce waiting time.
The initiative has been welcomed by organizations representing physically challenged people such as Jharkhand Viklang Manch (JVM), which hopes to increase the participation of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the Lok Sabha elections.
JVM chief Arun Singh said, “Many initiatives have been taken for the disabled people.We welcome this and hope that a large number of people with disabilities will exercise their franchise in the elections."
He said that the number of disabled voters in Jharkhand is more than three lakh.
"People with more than 40 per cent disability have been offered the facility to vote from home. I appreciate this step. But, I would like to request voters with disabilities to vote from home if they can. "This will not only show participation of PWD voters but will also encourage others to cast their vote," Singh said.''
Lok Sabha elections for 14 seats in Jharkhand will be held in four phases - on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1.
With over 2.55 crore eligible voters, including 1.25 crore women, the state is gearing up for a major electoral exercise.
Among the eligible voters, about 3.22 lakh are above 80 years of age, while about 3.60 lakh are disabled.This includes approximately 63,000 visually impaired voters and 45,000 speech and hearing impaired voters. Additionally, around 1.39 lakh voters are above 85 years of age.
To ensure accessibility and convenience for all voters, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Jharkhand K Ravi Kumar has taken several initiatives under the motto of “No Voter Left Behind”.
These initiatives include providing pick and drop facilities for elderly and disabled voters with a dedicated vehicle at each polling station. Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are compiling lists of voters who need assistance to vote at their doorstep."Persons with disabilities and elderly voters above 80 years of age can avail the pick and drop facility as per their wish. A vehicle is being arranged at each polling station for this purpose. Booth Level Officer (BLO) Preparing a list of voters who want to do so. Practice door-to-door voting," Kumar said.
An application called Saksham has been designed by the Election Commission to facilitate requests for pick and drop services and other facilities on the polling day.“The application also has a facility to lodge requests for wheelchair or other facilities on the day of polling,” he said.
Additionally, all EVMs in Jharkhand are equipped with Braille features, allowing visually impaired voters to easily identify the symbol of their favorite party.
He said, "This time Braille is inbuilt in the ballot units. This feature is enabled in all M3 electronic voting machines in Jharkhand. Earlier there were M2 machines in which we had to stick Braille stickers.,
All polling stations are located on the ground floor and provision of ramps is being ensured at all booths. "So far, ramps have been installed at 98 per cent of polling stations across the state," he said.
29,521 polling stations have been set up across the state, separate queues will be created for disabled voters and senior citizens to reduce waiting time.
The initiative has been welcomed by organizations representing physically challenged people such as Jharkhand Viklang Manch (JVM), which hopes to increase the participation of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the Lok Sabha elections.
JVM chief Arun Singh said, “Many initiatives have been taken for the disabled people.We welcome this and hope that a large number of people with disabilities will exercise their franchise in the elections."
He said that the number of disabled voters in Jharkhand is more than three lakh.
"People with more than 40 per cent disability have been offered the facility to vote from home. I appreciate this step. But, I would like to request voters with disabilities to vote from home if they can. "This will not only show participation of PWD voters but will also encourage others to cast their vote," Singh said.''
