INDIA VOTES 2024: ID cards, voter slips in Braille to help 1,800 visually impaired in Gurugram
Gurugram, March 31
To the convenience of 1,800 visually impaired voters in Gurugram, the Election commission will issue EPIC (Elector Photo Identification Card) and photo voter slip in Braille script.
DC and District Election Officer Nishant Kumar Yadav said for the convenience of visually impaired voters, the Braille will also be used on ballot paper and EVMs.
“Visually impaired will have their own special polling slips, cards, ballot papers and EVM machines. This will make voting more inclusive and ensure that we manage to resolve the key concern of poor polling percentage of specially-abled,” said DC Yadav.
Gurugram, which has been leading the state in initiatives pertaining to making Lok Sabha elections inclusive, is laying special emphasis on making these elections specially-abled friendly.
The polling stations are being equipped with various facilities for these voters, which include provision of wheelchairs, ramps at polling stations and transportation facilities. As per the plan, pick and drop facility will be provided to all specially-abled voters. Each polling station will have provision for ramps to ease movement of wheel chairs. Volunteers of the NCC, NSS and Red Cross will also be arranged to assist them.
Extra wheelchairs will be stationed at polling stations to provide any on-the-spot assistance. As per norms, such special voters who are unable to cast their vote by pressing the button of the machine can take a companion along with them to cast their vote. The associate must be 18 years of age or older. Those who can operate the EVM will be allowed a companion till outside the voting room.
The local administration has asked RWAs to identify such voters and help the administration to extend the services to them.
Aim to improve polling percentage
Visually impaired will have their own special polling slips, cards, ballot papers and EVM machines. This will make voting more inclusive and ensure that we manage to resolve the key concern of poor polling percentage of specially-abled. — Nishant Yadav, Gurugram DC
