Special
arrangements for disabled voters for May 10
SC
Directive
- Disabled
voters to have separate queues at polling stations
at polling stations
- Companion
to be allowed inside the station
- Civic
agencies asked to ensure all the schools follow the
directions
Sidelights
- Tulsi
in Hardwar: Enter Smriti Iraani in Chandni Chowk,
exit Tulsi from the Balaji brigade. As Iraani hit
the bylanes of the constituency, Tulsi has been packed
off for a month and half from Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi
Bahu Thi…She is spending time in Hardwar in the story
line.
- Blatant
Violation? Iraani’s attempts to bond with the womenfolk
if Chandni Chowk have come under flak. On Saturday,
300 women gathered in Hindu Rao over dinner with the
star. Rival Kapil Sibal said this was a violation
of model code of conduct as this is an attempt to
influence and elector with food.
New Delhi: Delhi’s differently-abled
voters will have separate queues and will be allowed
a companion in the May 10 elections.
Working
on the directives of the Supreme Court, the election
department is ensuring that all the polling stations
are accessible to the disabled. The civic agencies
– MCD, NDMC and Delhi Cantonment Board – will ensure
that all the polling stations follow the rules. Care
will be taken to ensure that the disabled voters do
not have to wait for long. There will be separate queues
and companion will be allowed with them.
Delhi
chief electoral officer Arun Goyal said: “Specific instructions
have been given to the civic agencies to make polling
stations disabled-friendly. The education department
was asked for a report on the number of schools that
have ramps. The department has said that 90% of the
schools have ramps and work in the rest will be completed
by the polling day.”
On
April 19, the Supreme Court had directed the chief electoral
officers of the states and union territories going to
polls in the third and fourth phase of elections to
make arrangements for the differently-abled voters.
This, the Apex court said, would include ensuring easy
access to the polling stations by constructing ramps
and making separate queues for the disabled voters.
So far the state election department does not have any estimate
does not have any estimate of how many disabled voters
are present in Delhi and which constituency has what
percentage of such voters.
The
department will undertake an exercise after the elections
to determine in what polling station and constituency
are disabled voters present. The final plan is to mention
it in a person’s voter identity card whether he is differently-abled
or not. An official said: “This is exercise will be
undertaken after the polling day as there is no time
to do this right now.”
Source: The Times of India
Date: 28th April 2004
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