The Hindu : National : Enabling election

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Mar 27, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

National

National

Enabling election

Ramya Kannan and R.K. Radhakrishnan
Chennai

How this poll is the disabled friendliest

The 15th Lok Sabha election promises to be, for the first-ever time, a ‘disabled-friendly’ election. Following a Supreme Court order in October 2007, the Election Commission had promised easy access to booths and Braille stickers on electronic voting machines (EVMs) to enable the disabled to cast their votes with dignity.

Disability rights lobby groups, which were exhilarated with the SC order, are hoping that the promises will be kept.

During the last elections, the Election Commission had directed that all polling booths should have ramps to make sure that no person is left out because of lack of access. The Commission also allows the disabled some concession during the process of voting: individual presiding officers have been repeatedly sensitised about the need to allow the disabled to ‘jump the queue’ if there is a long line of voters outside a booth. Wheelchairs will also be provided at booths.

While sensitisation at the booth level has been relatively easy to implement, the process of putting up ramps has been both time-consuming and costly. A cheap, temporary, wooden ramp costs a few thousand and election officials are looking at the possibility of using existing ramps in some educational institutions and offices.

Access audit

The Disability Legislation Unit of Vidya Sagar has been conducting audits in the Chennai region to see if polling booths are accessible. Their findings show that while some schools, which will double as polling booths, are easily accessible, there are others on the first floor, and yet others that have no ramps. Rajeev Rajan and S. Dhanasekhar of the DLU are visiting the polling booths to check the facilities.

“The Supreme Court clearly says that the disabled should have dignity while casting their votes. Unless we have ramps which can be negotiated in a wheelchair, gaining access to polling booths will be a humiliating process,” says Meenakshi B. of the DLU. The most unique aspect of this election will be the Braille stickers on the EVMs. Until now, a blind person had to take the aid of a helper to cast a vote.

This year, Braille stickers, denoting the serial number of the candidate will be pasted on the EVM alongside the Blue Button (voting button) at every polling station.

Each State has been asked to make arrangements speedily so that all EVMs have the signage in time. The Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer, Naresh Gupta, said following consultations with the office of the Commissionerate for the Disabled, the services of the press at the National Institute for Visually Handicapped at Poonamallee were utilised for printing ballot papers in Braille. While most of the visually-impaired are happy with the disabled-friendly initiatives, some wonder when voice-prompts will be added to the EVM. Nethrodaya founder C. Govindakrishnan says the number of visually impaired persons who can read Braille is coming down. Voice prompts will be useful to all, he added.

The Election Commission says that teachers and district disabled rehabilitation officers will ensure that the system works smoothly. But this does not mean that the companion facility has been withdrawn. The Commission has made it clear that the ‘help’ facility for voters who cannot see will also be in operation.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National