Pickup, drop facility for PwDs, elderly voters in Gurugram

Kulwinder Sandhu

Tribune News Service

Gurugram, September 1

The district administration of Gurugram will take special measures such as voting from home, free transportation to polling stations, installation of ramps, provision of wheelchairs and use of Braille-enabled electronic voting machines (EVMs) to facilitate voting for over 50,000 electors aged above 85 and those with disabilities in four constituencies of the district in the elections to the Haryana Legislative Assembly scheduled to be held on October 5, the District Magistrate-cum-District Election Officer Nishant Kumar Yadav said.

The booth-level officers (BLOs) will compile lists of voters who require assistance to vote at their doorstep or need conveyance to reach the polling booths on the day of voting.

5,759 service voters in district

• Apart from the 14,87,310 voters included in the voters’ list in the district, there are 5,759 service voters who are deployed in the Army and paramilitary forces. The Election Commission of India has created an electronically transmitted postal ballot management system through which they will be able to cast their votes.
• Yadav said there were 3,102 service voters in Pataudi constituency, 826 in Badshahpur, 491 in Gurgaon Assembly constituency and 1,340 in Sohna constituency. Service voters who want to vote in their constituency could mark the postal ballot paper and send it to their election officer by post, he added.

“Persons with disabilities (PwDs) and elderly voters above the age of 85 can avail the pick and drop facility as per their wish. A vehicle is being arranged for the purpose at each polling station. The booth-level officers (BLOs) after compiling the list of voters who want to exercise polling at doorstep will assist them,” Yadav said.

He said the PwDs who are marked as voters in the voter list and who have the benchmark disability certificate (with at least 40 per cent specified disability) certified by the appropriate authority under Section 2 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, are eligible to apply for postal ballot facility. “Such voters have to attach a copy of their benchmark disability certificate while submitting Form 12-D,” he said.

The District Election Officer said the process of collecting the filled Form 12-D would be completed within five days from the date of notification. He informed that the Sector Officers under the supervision of Returning Officers/Assistant Returning Officers would ensure timely distribution and collection of Form 12-D through BLOs.

Yadav said even in the Lok Sabha elections in the district, eligible beneficiaries came forward and availed this facility. He informed that the number of voters above 85 years of age and having more than 40 per cent disability in Gurugram district are more than 50,000 in number. The voters of this category can register their information by calling on the toll free number 1950 of the District Election Office. The duty of one government employee and one volunteer has been fixed to bring these voters from their homes. He also said that if the eligible voter in the prescribed category is healthy and is able to come to the polling booth himself, then it will be a matter of inspiration for others.