Citizens above 85 years of age, and Persons with Disabilities (PwD) with 40 per cent disability benchmark will get the option of ‘vote-from-home’ in the upcoming Lok Sabha election from Shillong and Tura parliamentary seats.
Meghalaya which will vote on April 19 has a total of 2,217,100 voters, comprising 1,094,947 males, 1,122,150 females, and three from the third gender category.
Of these, 23,793 voters aged 80 plus while 10,345 aged 85 plus. The number of Persons with Disabilities (PWD) voters stands at 11,179.
Meghalaya has 3,512 polling stations. These include 326 in the urban areas and 3,186 in rural areas.
The Election Commission has issued instructions to the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of all states and union territories to ensure that all polling stations are located on the ground floor, and ramps with proper gradients are provided for the convenience of the differently-abled electorate and senior citizens on wheelchairs.
The PwD voters can also request for wheelchair facility by registering on the SakshamECI App, while the visually-impaired persons also take a companion along with him/her to cast his/her vote on his/her behalf as provided under Rule 49 N of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961.
The booths are to be equipped with Assured Minimum Facilities (AMFs) like drinking water, a waiting shed, toilets with water facility, adequate arrangements for lighting, a ramp with proper gradient for the PwD electors, and a standard voting compartment, among others.
The Election Commission has also directed the CEOs to make efforts to make permanent ramps and permanent infrastructure at every polling station.
Further, to provide targeted and need-based facilitation to PwD voters and senior citizens, the poll panel has directed that all the persons with disabilities and senior citizens in an Assembly constituency should be identified and tagged to their respective polling stations, and necessary disability-specific arrangements be made for their smooth and convenient voting experience on the polling day.
The identified PwD and senior citizens will be assisted by the volunteers appointed by the RO/DEO. Also, it has been directed that persons with disability and senior citizens be given priority for entering the polling booths.
Special focus has been laid on sensitisation of polling personnel regarding the special needs of the differently-abled electorate.
Besides, dummy ballot sheets in Braille will also be made available at the polling stations to assist the visually-impaired voters.
