In a first, persons with disabilities, mainly the physically challenged, will independently manage a few polling stations this Assembly elections.
Three polling stations have been identified in the district where the differently-abled will oversee polling without any help. This step has been taken to send a message to society that the differently-abled need to be given equal opportunities, not sympathy.
Booth number 213 at Haniyamballi in Varuna constituency, booth number 75 at Shiramalli in Nanjangud, and booth number 86 at PU College in Shivapura in Krishnaraja constituency have been identified as ‘People with Disabilities Polling Stations’.
“Once the randomisation of electronic voting machines was completed, the interested persons with disabilities will be identified and deployed to these booths,” said zilla panchayat CEO Shivashankar, who heads the Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation Committee in Mysuru.
Meanwhile, data on the number of voters with disabilities has been generated across the district. Mysuru has 23,646 voters with disabilities, with Chamaraja accounting for the most — 2,377 — and Krishnaraja the least — 1,854.
Periyapatna has 2,184 such voters, K.R. Nagar 2,309. Hunsur 2,235, H.D. Kote 2,186, Nanjangud 2,077, Chamundeshwari 2,256, Narasimharaja 1,987, Varuna 2,283, and T. Narsipur 1,898.
Thanks to the diktat of the Election Commission making the forthcoming elections disabled-friendly, a record number of wheelchairs will be made available for the use of voters to access booths.
As many as 563 booths have been identified for providing wheelchairs at the entrance of the booths. The booths, spread across 11 constituencies, have been identified based on the number of voters with disabilities in those areas. Ramps and scribes to help persons with visual impairment will also be made available.
Mr. Shivashankar said the booth-level officers identified voters with disabilities when they carried out a survey on the voters’ list.
