Making elections accessible – Hindu

Election after election, K. in a government school at Wadkarai near LK Hills. In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the polling station became slightly less inaccessible as it offered him a wheelchair. However, without a volunteer pushing the wheelchair, Selvi’s sister finished it while holding her eight-month-old baby.

In the 2019 LS elections, the 36-year-old K. Alamelu headed to the booth, only to find his name not on the voter list. No wheelchairs. No volunteers to pursue the chair. On all these, the polling officers were not helpful. She returned home without casting her vote.

The blind have a litany of problems.

Aruna Devi, Honorary Member, Society for the Rights of Women with Disabilities (in Alwarpet) outlines how party symbols are not found on Braille-enabled ballet paper.

“The Braille-enabled ballot paper has the serial number, the party name and the name of the candidate contesting the election, but is not a party symbol. Says Aruna, “The symbol is remembered the earliest, especially the unlettered.

S Vanaja, president of the Visually Impaired Women’s Association (in Kundrathur), says the Braille-enabled ballot should be well-lit.

“In the 2019 LS elections, I felt that the Braille-capable ballot paper might be a bit blunt and I had difficulty identifying the party I wanted to vote for,” says Vanja, a resident of Amnajikarai.

Vaishnavi Jayakumar, a member of the Disability Rights Coalition, India, says that the undocumented people in Braille will get someone else’s support, which in turn compromises the secrecy of voting. An alternative privacy must be ensured, says Vaishnavi.

Deaf and deaf-mute see the need for a sign language expert.

Public Relations Officer, The Association for the Public Relations Officer says, “As it is impractical to have a sign language expert at every booth, the steps of casting a sign language expert can be explained in the steps taken to cast a vote.” Deaf.

D. Gyan Bharti, President, Spinal Injured Persons Association, underscores the need for ramp meeting standards set by the Election Commission of India (ECI). According to the ECI website, the tilt ratio of the ramp should be 1:10 and not more than 1:14. The same level ground is another requirement for easy movement of wheelchairs. Gyana Bharti explains how well-meaning ill-wishers can be harmed when the wheelchair is pushed uncontrollably. Therefore well trained volunteers are needed.

Vaishnavi Jayakumar said that vehicles should be accessible and user friendly.

To create confidence in voters, more awareness campaigns, which are of different types, especially in rural areas. Raghuraman explains the Karna Vidya Foundation (in Guindy), which works in a different way.

Smita Sadashivan, an access advisor with ECI, that ECI regulations indicate dedicated parking lots for persons with disabilities. In a queue, the differently-abled get priority. The ECI should ensure that these rules are followed.

Vaishnavi suggests that the ECI is performing for the first time to voters who differ.