To fulfil the motto of Election Commission of India “NO VOTERS TO BE LEFT BEHIND”, the Chief Electoral Officer, Telangana has initiated a number of measures for full inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in the Electoral Process. The ECI has recognized the outstanding work done and adjudged Telangana State as Best State for providing all Accessible facilities to Persons with Disabilities and Senior Citizens Voters in recently held State Legislative Assembly Elections 2018.
To create awareness on importance of Voting and arrangement of above facilities to Persons with Disabilities, an awareness Walk was organized at People’s Plaza Necklace Road on 31.03.2019 at 7.30 A.M with around 2500 Persons with Disabilities, NGOs Working for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, PwD Activitists, State PwD Icons.
The event was attended by senior Government officials, sports persons, and icons of the CEO Telangana. They conveyed their motivational messages on importance of voting in the democracy and appealed to all the persons with disabilities to utilize the facilities provided by the Election Commission and participate in the upcoming elections. The event was attended by the following
1) Dr.Rajat Kumar, CEO Telangana,
2) Anjani Kumar, IPS Commissioner of Police Hyderabad,
3) Mahesh Bhagwat, IPS Commissioner of Police Rachakonda
4) K.Manicka Raj, IAS District Collector & Magistrate Hyderabad,
4) Amrapali Kata, IAS, Joint CEO, Telangana,
5) Hari Chandana IAS, Zonal Commissioner, GHMC,
6) T. Ravi Kiran IFS Joint CEO
6) B.Shailaja, Director, WD&SC & State Nodal Officer for PwDs
Special Invitees
7) Mithali Raj, Captain, Indian Women Cricket Team
8) Ananth Sri Ram Lyricist
9) Rajashree Reddy T.V.Actress
State Persons with Disabilities ICONs
10) Mahendra Viashnav, Blind International Cricket Player,
11) Shreya Kanthi Visualluly Impaired Singer,
12) Abhinaya Hearing Impaird Film Actor
13) B.Sujatha T.V.Anchor
14) B.Narsing Rao Barrier Free Campaigner
Speaking at the event the Chief Electoral Officer Dr. Rajat Kumar explained the initiatives taken up by the Chief Electoral office.
Awareness Campaign
The office of the CEO Telangana has worked with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure PwD involvement in elections. The team comprises of Disabled Welfare Department and Corporation at the State and District level, NGOs, leaders and role models
The State level PwD icons and District Level PwD icons who excelled in various field have been appointed to create awareness and motivate PwDs to participate in the electoral process.
The EVM & VVPAT camps and mockpolls were conducted specially for PwDs involving sign languages and Braille election material
The Voters’ Guides and other election information material was distributed in Braille to facilitate visually challenged voters. Posters and (4) short informative and motivational films are filmed with State Level PwD Icons with all accessible features and played at Cinema Halls, Local Channels, Malls for encouraging PwDs to come forward to vote
Enrolment:
The enrollment of PwDs was just 2.67 lakhs PwD voters in the month of August 2018 and in response to a strong campaign involving door to door campaign this number increased to 4.44 Lakhs by November 2018 in time for the Telangana State Legislative Assembly Elections.70% PwDs have exercised their right to vote in the recently held Legislative Assembly Elections. A special drive was conducted again from 27.02.2019 to 05.03.2019 and as a result of which the enrolment of PwDs increased to 5.13 lakhs.
Trainings to Poll Machinery:
Sensitization training to polling personnel on special needs of various categories of PwDs and courteous behaviour towards them. Training given on identified key signs required to communicate with hearing impaired voters on poll day to all the polling personnel and volunteers. A pictograph pamphlet of the same was printed and made available at all polling stations.
Polling Station Arrangements:
All Polling stations were accessible with Ramps for easy access to Wheelchair users.
119 Model PwD Polling Stations were set up: one one each Assembly Constituency showcasing model and aspirational arrangements.
20,000 Wheel Chairs were arranged covering all the polling station locations across Telangana for convenience of needy PwDs and Senior Citizens.
Poll Day Arrangements:
Help desk set up to assist the PwD Voters,
Trained 40,000 NSS volunteers and 52,000 other volunteers drawn from Anganwadi, ASHA and other village level workers were deployed to help the PwD voters
Signage’s & dedicated parking slots shall be arranged.
Braille Ballot Paper and EPIC ( Voter Cards) in Braille script to facilitate visually challenged voters.
Free transport facility is arranged for PwDs and their assistants with escort facility from Home to Poll station and return on Poll Day.
Separate Queues to facilitate PwDs
A PwD friendly mobile application ‘Naa Vote’, for facilitating voter enquiries and to request pick up and drop of facilities
All the facilities arranged in the previous elections is going to be extended to all the voters in forth coming Lok Sabha Elections with greater improvisation and fervour.
All the participants were administered oath stating that they would exercise their right to vote with all fairness and the Awareness Walk was flagged off after the release of balloons.
The Persons with Disabilities expressed their satisfaction on the facilities provided by Election Commission to them and assured that they would exercise their right to vote in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.