15 Feb 2022 09:27

Joined:	02/12/2009
Level:	Gold
Points:	6439

Points:	5 (₹ 5)

Participation of differently abled in the electoral process

Consequent to the passing of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016, responsibility has been cast upon the governments to take effective measures to ensure that persons with disabilities enjoy their rights equally with others. Also, there is a wider coverage in terms of types of disabilities in this Act. According to a report, the number of differently-abled voters in the five states where elections are being held has increased up to 17.11% (from 1,123,946 to 1,316,264 – source the Hindustan Times). The Election Commission made special arrangements like the provision of wheelchairs and ramps but these did not prove enough to facilitate voting especially in hilly areas of Uttrakhand.

Any additional measures that can be suggested to the Election Commission or taken up voluntarily by the so-called abled society to improve the participation of the differently-abled?

#752348

15 Feb 2022 14:12

Joined:	02/06/2009
Level:	Platinum
Points:	119481

Points:	5

Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016 was enacted in December 2016. This act is enacted to promote and protects the rights of people with disabilities in various aspects of life. This act is applicable to all government, non-government and private organisations.
This act covers not only Physical disabilities but also intellectual disability and mental illness also. They have every right to participate in the electoral process. Even they can contest and win the elections also.
To enable them to come cast their votes the government is doing its best by providing wheelchairs and ramps. Even then for some people, it is difficult to come and vote. The election commission can think of organising mobile polling booths so that the booth will go in a vehicle under the police custody and see that all these disabled persons will be in their house and vote when the mobile booth comes the person can complete his voting process.

drrao
always confident

#752355

15 Feb 2022 14:52

Joined:	10/12/2016
Level:	Platinum
Points:	88147

Points:	4

I think the time has come when the Govt has to think about the possibility of online voting or postal voting using a secure platform so that people who cannot go out due to disabilities or any other personal reason can cast their votes effectively. It can be linked to Aadhar card or Voter card or the upcoming citizenship card etc. It is difficult to devise a fool proof online digital system as the evil forces might hack the data but seeing the advancement in IT area we can hope that such systems would be there in coming times when we will be able to take the advantage of these emerging IT technology.

Knowledge is power.

Participation of differently abled in the electoral process

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