March 9, 2019
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has made inclusive
elections a key priority of the upcoming national election. All efforts are
being made to ensure people with disabilities who are eligible to vote, do so
in a free and fair manner.
For instance recently in Bihar, the ECI made sure that polling booths are on
the ground floor so that wheelchair users can go inside the booth using
ramps. Mobile ramps have also beens et up to enable easy access.
Another step is the launch of a mobile app so that disabled people can
register for pick up and drop facilities to polling booths. There are
dummy ballot papers in Braille to create awareness about
elections amongst visually impaired people.
Disability rights groups hope that all these measures will be introduced
across India.
Professor Raghuraman, a disability rights activist in
Chennai, hopes the ECI will go beyond just ramps.
It was the late Javed Abidi who spoke up for accessible elections. He has
strived a lot to make this a reality. In 2005, the Supreme Court of India
had ordered accessible elections to come into immediate effect.
Unfortunately, even today, the ECI has not worked towards completing it.
There is much to do like introducing tactile paths and railings etc. There
are 21 types of disabilities mentioned in RPWD Act, 2016. Are all of them
fulfilled? Do authorities even know what the requirements of these
disabilities are? –Professor Raghuraman, Disability Rights
Activist
Strong words but sentiments shared by people of various disability types.
Dr Lyse Bin Muhammad of the All Kerala Wheelchair
Rights Federation, says the ECI is moving in the right direction but
lots more needs to be done.
“It is high time that the ECI takes accessible elections seriously.
Disabled people also have the right to vote. More facilities must be
introduced for those who are visually impaired and those with severe
disabilities”, says Muhammad.
Come May, the ECI will be tested on these promises. The disabled community
too is closely watching to ensure the commission walks the talk.
ALSO READ: Students to help people with disabilities at polling booths in
upcoming elections in Delhi
Source: https://newzhook.com/story/21618
