However, in case of VI, the serial Numbers of the contesting candidates were
written in braille. The election staff had the paper written in braille
stating clearly each candidate, his party and Number.
on the EVM the numbers were written in braille in front of each button.
So there was no need of any assistance.
As the light signal for the voting came, the long beep sound followed which
meant that the vote has been registered.
- Original Message -
From: "Dr Satendra Singh"
To:
Sent: Thursday, December 05, 2013 7:14 AM
Subject: [AI] : Not a disabled friendly electoral system
Today's 'The Hindu' has covered the problems faced by disabled voters in
high-tech Delhi Elections.
Not a disabled friendly electoral system
5 December 2013
While it tried through media campaigns to improve the voter turnout for the
Delhi Assembly elections, a large number of persons with disability (PwDs)
were still unable to reach the polling booths — as they were not disabled
friendly — and could not exercise their franchise.
A case in point was that of Neeru Gautam, who works in the disability
sector with Sahyogi. A resident of Block 34 of West Patel Nagar, Ms. Gautam
decided to cast her vote by taking her power chair all the way to the
polling station in Block 26 Community Centre.
However, on reaching her polling booth, she realised there was no ramp to
enter and the entrance to the room was also blocked by a wooden pole which
had been put in the middle of the passage to segregate the incoming and
leaving voters.
“As my chair could not enter the room, I asked the election staff to come
out and help me cast my vote. But despite repeated pleas, no one came
forward. Then one person offered to lift me physically, which I refused
outright and I came back without casting my vote,” she rued.
Ms. Gautam incidentally had been voting in every election. “Earlier, I had
a helper who would take me inside the booth but ever since I became
independent due to my power chair, I have not felt the need for one. The
Election Commission should have ensured ramps and barrier-free access for
the PwDs in this election.”
Some PwDs also vented their anger on social networking sites. Abha
Khetarpal, a wheelchair user and president of NGO Cross the Hurdles, wrote
on the Facebook page of Dr. Satendra Singh, Coordinator with the Enabling
Unit of the Equal Opportunity Cell of the University College of Medical
Sciences, how polling booth number A-28 in Subhash Nagar, where she had to
cast her vote, had no ramps for wheelchair users and no Braille stickers.
She commented: “So, in this politics of vote bank, polling stations are
inaccessible. How can this be called government of the people, by the
people and for the people?”
Ms. Khetarpal also noted the media often asks for proof about such
shortcomings in the electoral system. “But taking pictures is not allowed —
a disabled system indeed.”
For his part, Dr. Singh said: “I haven’t seen any attempts on the part of
the Election Commission to publicise voting facilities for the disabled.
There is no information on radio or media. However, kudos to the EC Delhi
to finally make their website accessible to visually impaired. Sadly, EC’s
website is still inaccessible.”
Despite the heavy odds, some PwD voters remained determined to cast their
vote. Virender Kalra, a bank manager and a resident of Subhash Nagar, was
one of them. When he found there was no ramp for his wheelchair to climb
on, he got two persons to lift him and take him inside the polling booth.
“I was determined to vote and did so to play my role in ensuring a healthy
democracy,” he said.
--
Dr Satendra Singh,
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