Monday, Sep 27, 2004
Monday, Sep 27, 2004 |
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By Our Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI, SEPT. 26. Upset by the absence of facilities to enable the physically challenged to exercise their right to secret ballot, the Disabled Rights Group (DRG) has urged the Election Commission of India (EC) to postpone the coming Assembly and by-elections, failing which the umbrella organisation of disabled groups across the country would launch an agitation. The DRG wrote to the EC on Friday reminding it of the undertaking given in the Supreme Court earlier this year that steps would be taken before these polls to enable the disabled exercise their right to secret ballot. The letter was sent a few hours after the Bombay High Court asked the Chief Electoral Officer of Maharashtra toappear before the court next Tuesday in a public interest litigation (PIL) on the issue. For the Lok Sabha elections, the EC had provided wooden ramps to facilitate access to polling centres and voting machines with the names of candidates marked in Braille to address the needs of the visually impaired. It had given an undertaking that further arrangements would be made for the next round of elections in consultation with the authorities. In an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court on April 19, 2004, the EC said: "With a view to evolving a system which will be voter friendly for the visually challenged persons, the Election Commission proposes to consult the Government in the Ministry of Social Welfare and Empowerment, the petitioner, representatives of national level organisations engaged in the welfare of visually challenged and technical experts from ECIL and BEL, the two firms manufacturing EVMs. After an appropriate and satisfactory solution is arrived at, the Election Commission will take all steps to set in place this system by the time of the next general elections to the legislative Assemblies of certain states that are due towards the end of this year." Stating that the EC cannot take away the right of the estimated 20-lakh disabled voters in Maharashtra and Arunachal Pradesh to exercise their franchise with dignity, the DRG has sought a postponement of the elections.
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