Persons with disabilities (PwDs) in Chennai request that all 3,726 polling booths in all three constituencies in the city be made differently-abled-friendly.
The Greater Chennai Corporation is making the arrangements including adding ramps in 3,719 booths and the seven auxiliary booths and distributing Form 12D for the ‘vote-from-home’ option for 0ver 10,300 PwDs (over 40% disability) and voters above the age of 85 years, according to District Election Officer and Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner J. Radhakrishnan.
The icons for 21 categories of persons with disabilities (PwDs) raised awareness of the importance of voting under Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) of the Election Commission of India (ECI) in Chennai on Sunday, March 24, ahead of the Lok Sabha election polling scheduled on April 19, 2024.
District Election Officer flagged off the 200-metre special rally from Vivekananda House in Marina Beach where roughly 250 took part. Additional District Election Officers Rashmi Siddharth Zagade (Chennai District Collector), Sharanya Ari (Deputy Commissioner (Education)) and Returning Officer and Regional Deputy Commissioner (Central) K.J. Praveen Kumar and officials were present.
Speaking to reporters, the Commissioner said, “Despite the heat, people who are visually-challenged, audibly-challenged, with locomotive syndrome and many others participated in the special rally. Medical camp and drinking water arrangements were made to avoid any distressing situations for the participants. Ms. Zagade requested voters to register their votes at the respective booths on April 19, 2024.
According to an official with the ECI in Chennai, 14 of the 56 awareness activities have been completed so far through door-to-door campaigns in low voter count areas, through students and PwDs under SVEEP. “After assessing the outcomes of the programmes, the rest of the programmes will be held consecutively,” he said.
