Lok Sabha polls 2014: All voting booths to be disabled-friendly

NEW DELHI: This elections, all polling stations in the capital will be disabled-friendly. These will also have volunteers to help senior citizens.

The chief electoral officer of Delhi, Vijay Dev, visited the East Delhi model polling station on Wednesday where ramps have been set up and battery-operated rickshaws and wheelchairs are being provided.

According to the poll panel, wheelchairs and volunteer facilities will be provided at all 11,763 polling stations across 2,527 premises in Delhi. "At least one wheelchair and one volunteer will be available at every polling station,'' said an Election Commission official.

The East Delhi model polling station in Laxmi Nagar also has a waiting area for voters along with drinking water facility. "There are model polling stations in each of the 70 assembly segments. Proper assistance will be provided at every booth to anyone who does not have a voter card, or if his/her names are missing or any other problem they face,'' added the official.

The Election Commission has often been criticized for polling stations not being disabled-friendly. According to officials, there are over 80,000 disabled voters in Delhi, including the visually challenged and hearing impaired.

Apart from wheelchairs, ramps and battery-operated rickshaws, polling stations will also have a sign language expert on standby to aid the hearing impaired. Officials also said that there would be adequate number of Braille ballot papers in every booth. For general visitors, polling stations will have covered seating areas, medical assistance booths etc.