Lack of assistance: Senior citizens, disabled voters irked : The Tribune India

Join Whatsapp Channel

Lack of assistance: Senior citizens, disabled voters irked

AMRITSAR: Senior citizens and physically disabled voters were a hassled lot as there was no separate queue for them at several booths during polling.



Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 4

Senior citizens and physically disabled voters were a hassled lot as there was no separate queue for them at several booths during polling. Despite the administrations’ claims and guidelines issued by the EC to make polls accessible for PWD (Persons with disabilities) voters, by ensuring Assured Minimum Facility, which includes providing wheelchairs and building ramps for accessibility, the polling booths in the city were found lacking these facilities.

“I had to wait for my turn in queue among other voters and there were no wheelchairs, but only chairs for voters to sit and wait for their turn,” said Harpreet Kaur, a voter from Cherherta. Similarly, senior voters, who had trouble in walking, had to be assisted by either their family members or fellow voters, due to lack of assistance at the polling booths. Mukhtiar Singh, 85, one of the eldest voters from Atttari, had to be carried inside the booth by his family members to ensure he casts his vote.

Despite the Sveep activities, the volunteers of political parties were seen ferrying PWD voters and elderly voters on rickshaws at polling booths in Amritsar Central constituency. Satkar kaur, 69, voter from Dashmesh Avenue, also complained that the polling booth in the area had low lighting due to which it was difficult to see the candidates on EVM machine.

Top News

Jailed gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari dies of cardiac arrest

Jailed gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari dies of cardiac arrest

Ansari was hospitalised after he complained of abdominal pai...

Delhi High Court dismisses PIL to remove Arvind Kejriwal from CM post after arrest

Delhi High Court dismisses PIL to remove Arvind Kejriwal from CM post after arrest

The bench refuses to comment on merits of the issue, saying ...

Arvind Kejriwal to be produced before Delhi court today as 6-day ED custody ends

Excise policy case: Delhi court extends ED custody of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal till April 1

In his submissions, Kejriwal said, ‘I am named by 4 witnesse...

‘Unwarranted, unacceptable’: India on US remarks on Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest

‘Unwarranted, unacceptable’: India on US remarks on Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest

MEA spokesperson says India is proud of its independent and ...

Gujarat court sentences former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt to 20 years in jail in 1996 drug case

Gujarat court sentences former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt to 20 years in jail in 1996 drug case

Bhatt, who was sacked from the force in 2015, is already beh...


Cities

View All