Almost a year ago, when West Bengal’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) chose cerebral palsy patient and activist Jeeja Ghosh as the State’s brand ambassador for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, little did officials imagine that the initiative would prove to be such a resounding success. For in the first five phases of elections in the State, turnout among people with disabilities (PWD) have registered historic highs across several constituencies. In certain seats, polling by voters registered as PWD was as high as the overall voter turn out. For instance, of the 40,407 voters registered as PWD in Murshidabad district, 31,183 (77.2%) exercised their franchise. Besides, Ms. Ghosh worked closely with officials on key projects, including a survey of people with disabilities, design of pictorial cards, training staff.
“It is very encouraging to see people with disabilities coming out to vote in large numbers,” Ms. Ghosh said. “The credit goes to office of the Chief Electoral Officer in West Bengal for taking up the initiative at such a level,” she added.
A faculty at the Institute of Cerebral Palsy in Kolkata, Ms. Ghosh said the biggest challenge she had faced was in getting pictorial and visual cards developed for people with intellectual disabilities. Officials at the CEO’s office said that some of the campaign materials developed by Ms. Ghosh for PWD voters had been sought by other States including Bihar.
Amitjyoti Bhattacharji, Deputy Chief Electoral Officer, was all praise for the 48-year-old activist. “She delivered more than what she was expected to as a brand ambassador,” he said.
Mr. Bhattacharji said that a lot of initiatives had been taken by election officials for reaching out to PWD voters so that they could be involved in the election process and voting.
Meanwhile, Ms. Ghosh hopes that the trend of high turnout of PWD voters continues in the remaining two phases. “Since 1982, I have always made it to the polling station and cast my vote. For exercising this right I have not been dependent on my family and friends,” she said. Referring to the large posters and cut outs featuring her image that the Election Commission had put up across the city to motivate voters to vote, she said, “For me, more satisfying is when people with disabilities are able to exercise their right.”
