Three lakh plus divyang voters register in state

Mumbai: Over 3 lakh divyang (differently-abled) voters have registered themselves in the state for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The state branch of the Election Commission of India (ECI) is providing additional facilities to such voters in order to ensure that they cast their votes.

There are 309,233 differently-abled voters, which includes 51,605 visually-disabled and low vision voters; 35,887 hearing and speech-impaired (mute and deaf) voters; 161,920 voters with locomotors’ disability; and 59,821 other disabled voters in the state.

A senior official of the ECI said that additional facilities will be provided to such voters to make it easier for them to cast votes. He said that the Braille script facility was being provided on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for the visually-disabled and low vision voters.

In order to encourage the voters, facilities such as ramps, wheel chairs and volunteers were being provided for differently-abled voters at polling booths. Visually-disabled and physically-handicapped voters were being permitted to take along with them a companion, he said. The ECI had kept the target of “Accessible Elections” to increase the differently abled voters in the voting.

Divyang voters were being registered in large numbers for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls with the assistance of the Differently-abled Welfare Commissionerate and non-governmental organisations, an official informed. Some of the facilities and amenities being provided at polling booths include arrangement for voter assistance centres, facilities for first aid, drinking water etc.