Members of the Differently Abled Associations’ Organising Committee, Coimbatore, said that while they were thankful to the Election Commission of India for taking several differently abled-friendly measures, they wanted a few more facilities.
Audio supportAt the start of the rally they organised here on Monday to create awareness among voters, Committee president T. Sadasivam told reporters that in addition to the Braille facility for the visually challenged voters, if the Election Commission of India were to also provide audio support, it would be of great help.
But the audio support should be provided in such a way that only the visually challenged voters were able to hear the audio output.
It could come in the form of a headset attached to the electronic voting machine, which the visually challenged voters could use at the time of exercising their franchise.
Committee vice-president S.A. Sakkarappan said that the Election Commission should also allow the nominated helpers to assist the differently abled to exercise their franchise.
And it should also arrange vehicles, for if they were to take the help of political parties they were forced to bear the moral compulsion of voting for the party.
TransportTo avoid such situation, the Commission itself should arrange transport for taking differently abled voters to the booths.
This was needed more in rural areas.
About the rally, they said that they wanted to drive home the point among voters that if they, differently abled, were ready to overcome odds to vote, others must also exercise their franchise without fail. Voting was also a duty.
They took out the rally from the Collectorate to the VOC Park grounds. Collector Archana Patnaik flagged off the rally.
A flash mob event was also organised.
