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Thread: TN Elections 2016: Special Arrangements For Physically Disabled People

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    TN Elections 2016: Special Arrangements For Physically Disabled People



    Mr. Sivagnanam, Chief electoral officer, explained that efforts had been taken to make all the polling booths accessible, and that a brochure had been brought out for persons with disabilities, in addition to the many camps held for them to apply for registering them for voting. “We have also trained polling officials on assistance that may be needed by persons with disabilities and are asking residents to register online in case they need a wheelchair and also to register with their EPIC number on 1950 so that we can provide any other facilities needed,” he said.
    How the process would work for those with visual impairment was brought up, and Mr. Sivagnanam said ballot papers were being brought out in Braille with the list of candidates, and a number beside each.

    “The EVMs will have these numbers in Braille and the voter can read the Braille ballot paper at the booth, decide on the candidate and then vote. In case the voter cannot read Braille, they can take an attendant, who will have to sign a declaration form and will then be able to help the voter vote,” he said.
    One resident stressed on the need for accessible elections to be the norm across the country for every election.
    Another asked why persons with disabilities were not election observers. T. S. Krishnamurthy, former chief election commissioner of India, said that there was no technical objection to this and persons with disabilities could definitely be brought in. “They may need support as in some cases, they may need to take immediate action,” he said.



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    Ahead of Tamil Nadu assembly election, Rajan along with other volunteers have been doing an audit of accessibility across the state to ensure that they go home a dignified voter but what they saw has let them down, again. Data released by rights-based organisation, Disability Rights Alliance (DRA) shows that half of Chennai's ramps at polling booths are inaccessible and that there are several obstructions to people with disabilities. The sample size is 172 in Chennai and more than 700 in Tirunelveli.

    The auditors found steep ramps not constructed as per standard measurements and they had with no handrails. One polling booth at a school has one concrete step from which a ramp has been built.

    "The problem lies with the tendency to deal with issues of disability separately and not in the mainstream. When you don't accept sub-standard arrangements, the establishment says that you will never be satisfied," says Vaishnavi Jayakumar, member of DRA.

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    "For a disabled person it is not a question of economy versus luxury. It is simply accessible versus not accessible. Some things that the elections department has done are path breaking but, the basics are appalling so it overshadows the rest."



    This assembly election has been a benchmark in talking widely about inaccessibility and the need to provide assistance for differently-abled at polling booths. Wheelchairs are being provided at polling stations and those requiring specific arrangements have been asked to send their requests as an SMS to 1950.



    "For the first time in history, 13,000 wheelchairs with volunteers to steer them are being provided," said Rajesh Lakhoni, chief electoral officer. "Ramps are in 67,000 booths and we have a few booths remaining." The Election Commission helped enroll people with mental illness who live in institutions for the first time.



    "Some of the faulty ramps have been repaired by the Greater Chennai Corporation," says Smitha Sadasivan from Vidya Sagar and a member of DRA spearheading the audit.



    "This election there is more pressure to get things right for us and officials are working on it but it leaves a lot to be desired. For instance, in Madurai polling booths didn't even have ramps and we were told that ramps will be built in a few days. Only on May 16 will we know if this has been a truly inclusion election or not."

    http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/elections-2016/tamil-nadu-elections-2016/Disabled-conduct-access-audit-at-polling-booths-across-Tamil-Nadu/articleshow/52271697.cms

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    17 may 2016

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    While most polling booths in the city had wheelchairs – over 13,000 were provided across Tamil Nadu – some voters experienced trouble with non-compliant ramps, sandy surfaces, lack of signage and barricaded entrances. However, disability helpdesks at some booths, excellent wheelchair volunteers in many others, some good ramps and helpful officials allowed many disabled residents and senior citizens to exercise their franchise.
    Bhavna Botta, a voter in Saidapet who uses a wheelchair, had to be lifted into her booth. “There was a ramp at the end of the building but the entrances to the booths were barricaded with bamboo sticks and the wheelchair could not enter. The same thing happened in 2014. Nothing has changed since then,” said her mother, Kalpana Rao.
    A voter in Ambattur, faced with a non-compliant ramp, raised the issue, after which sacks were placed underneath the boards, said T.M.N. Deepak, State president, December 3 movement.
    Braille EVMs
    When Dipti Bhatia went to her T. Nagar polling booth, she was informed that the EVM did not have Braille and the polling list of candidates too, was not in Braille.

    “I told the officials that I would not vote as a mark of protest. However, I later got a call from officials telling me they had obtained a Braille EVM and then, a Braille polling list. They even offered to send someone to accompany me and then I voted,” she said.
    Volunteers and officials were very helpful, said Smitha Sadasivan, a member of the Disability Rights Alliance, Tamil Nadu, (DRA) and in some cases, vehicles were allowed inside the polling station, making access easier. P. Neelakantan, a 103-year-old, who has been voting since the first general election after independence voted this time too and said he would continue to do so as long as he is alive.
    The auxiliary polling station for 88 disabled persons in Kannagi Nagar under Sholinganallur Assembly Constituency received a good response from those for whom it had been set up. 62 of the 88 disabled voters attached to this special booth turned up and cast their votes, according to the Collector, R. Gajalakshmi. Stella, who came to the booth by hand-pedalling her tricycle, said: “Earlier, we used to visit the general booth but today, I was able to cast my vote quickly.”

    http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/voting-in-chennai-a-mixed-bag-for-the-disabled-senior-citizens/article8611380.ece

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