Jalandhar Lok Sabha Bypoll: People with disabilities, elderly cast vote from home

Aakanksha N Bhardwaj

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Jalandhar, May 5

“Even though I am unable to move much, I still have the power to form a government. This has given me a sense of confidence,” said Shanta Rani (88), a resident of Avtar Nagar who has been bedridden for more than a year now. She cast her vote on the ballot paper on Thursday when electoral commission staff visited her home and she exercised her right.

The octogenarian said despite her condition, she still had a right and this was very empowering. Persons with disabilities (PwDs) and senior citizens who cannot move can vote from their residences.

Balwinder Kaur from GTB Nagar is a mother of two PwDs. Her elder son is 34 and her younger daughter is 25. Kaur’s kids are wheelchair-bound, suffering from cerebral palsy and intellectual disability, and she has been taking care of them with the same determination for many years now.

Kaur shared that this initiative had come as a blessing for her and her children. “Eh vi duniya vich aaye hai te enna nu vi saare haq hai (What if they are born this way, they still deserve every right).

Earlier, Kaur would not take her children along with her to vote. “I had taken my son two-three times but never took my daughter because it was not possible for me to pick her up. But this initiative made everything easy for me. I feel content that at least they can cast their vote now and do their bit for the betterment of the district and the state,” the mother said.

As per the information, there are as many as 885 senior citizens and PwDs in Jalandhar who will exercise their franchise. PWDs district coordinator Manish Aggarwal said it was appreciable that those who are bound and cannot move are being helped by the Election Commission in such a way.

Assistant Commissioner Irwin Kaur said, “It’s a positive step. Every vote matters and no one should be left behind. For this, Election Commission, Punjab, and the district administration are taking every possible step to reach out to the senior citizens and the PwDs.”

EC reaches out

• Persons with disabilities (PwDs) and senior citizens who cannot move can vote from their residences. There are as many as 885 senior citizens and PwDs in Jalandhar who will exercise their franchise
• PwDs district coordinator Manish Aggarwal appreciated the Election Commission’s decision, saying those who were bound and couldn’t move were being helped by the step