The Election Commission said today it has taken steps to ensure that
physically challenged electorate are not made to wait in the queue for
casting their votes in the May 5 Karnataka Assembly elections.
"Special arrangements will be made for persons with disability at
polling stations," Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Anil Kumar Jha
told reporters here.
Polling booth staff would assist physically challenged and
visually impaired citizens to exercise their franchise at the booth and
wheel chairs would be allowed in, he said.
In polling stations where permanent ramps have not been provided,
temporary ramps would be provided. Blind, infirm and visually impaired
electors would be permitted to take an assistant to cast the vote, if he
or she so wishes.
Electors with speech and hearing impairment would be given
special care as in the case of other differently-abled persons. The
facility of Braille signage is available on the electronic voting
machines for visually impaired voters to "feel" the numbers and press an
appropriate button to cast the vote.
At training sessions, polling personnel have been sensitised
about the special needs of the differently-abled voters, in terms of
courteous behaviour towards them and for providing necessary support at
booths, Jha said.
Source : The Indian Express ( 27th April 2013 )
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