Electors / Voters with disabilities, reduced mobility & reduced functions:
Electors / Voters having one among the 21 disabilities as mentioned by the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 are termed as voters with disabilities. In addition,if a person who has reduced mobility and/ormotor functionand/or physical coordination due to age, temporary ailment, pregnancy and other disease, and needs to be facilitated to get registered and to vote are termed as electors / voters with reduced mobility and physical functions.
Registration of a voter with disability / reduced mobility/functions
Every Indian citizen with disability or reduced mobility / functions who has attained the age of 18 years on the qualifying date i.e. first day of January of the year of revision of electoral roll, unless otherwise disqualified of crime or unsound mind as declared by a competent court,is eligible to be registered as a voter in theroll of the part/polling area of theconstituency of which he/she is a resident.
Process & facilitations forpersonswith disabilities to get registered in electoral roll:
An eligible person withdisability or reduced mobility / physical functions can get enrolled in electoral roll by filling Form 6 inclusive of information about one’s disability online at www.nvsp.in and uploading the necessary documents.
One can alsoenrol at voter enrolment centres or the offices of Electoral Registration Officers / Assistant Electoral Registration Officers, which will be accessible for persons with disabilities and reduced mobility / physical functions, by filling Form 6 in two copies which are available free of cost atsuchcentres / offices and annexingcopies of the relevant documents. In case of any assistance / facilitation of communication required in filling the form, the same would be provided at both offices. The forms can also be sent by post to Electoral Registration Officer / Assistant Electoral Registration Officer.
Copies ofForm 6 will also be available with Booth Level Officers who can come to the residence of a person withdisability and register him/her on request for the same.
Apart from the above, civil societyorganisations can post a request to ERO/AERO to conduct accessible registration camps for persons with disabilities associated with them in their campus.
Documents to be enclosed with Form 6.
One recent passport sizecoloured photograph, duly affixed in the box given for the purpose in Form 6 and photo-copies of documentary proof of age if between 18 and 21 years of age and proof of residence are required to be enclosed with Form 6. The list of documentary proof of age and residence which can be enclosed with Form 6 can be referred in the guidelines enclosed with Form 6.
Q. How will an applicant know that his/her name is included in the electoral roll?
One can verify the inclusion of his/her name in electoral roll through the CEO’s website which will be accessible for persons with all disabilities. He or she can also contact the booth level officer regarding thesame, if he needs assistance.
Prior booking of facilities for voters with disabilities
Online /sms booking of wheel chairs and volunteer can be done prior to poll day so that the facilities are assured to voters with disabilities / reduced mobility at polling booths. In some polling booths prior booking of parking facility is also available. Similarly, voters with disabilities can also avail exclusive transport facility in some constituencies.
Assured Minimum Facilities (AMF) at Polling Station:
Assured Minimum Facilities that will be made available at polling booths are Signage, Help Desk, polling booth at ground floor,obstacle free wide levelled pathway from entrance to voting compartment,Ramp as per GOI standards, Accessible Toilets, Drinking Water, SeparateEntry and Exit, Lighting, accessible furniture, braille ballot guide, adjustable braille embossed EVMs, wheel chairs, booth volunteers and display of accessible posters on information pertaining to voting.
Other facilitations available for voters with disabilities during elections:
Free transport facility will also be made available to all persons with disabilities inlocal public transport system.
Dedicated parking system for vehicles of voters with disabilities.
Priority entry is provided to voters with disabilities and those with reduced mobility / physical functions, without having to wait inqueue at polling booths.
Voters with disabilities can bring their companion to assist them tillvoting compartment, if they wish to. In case of assistance by the companion is required in voting as well, form 49A should be filled by the companion. The companion can vote immediately after the person with disability votes. Alternatively, a voter with disability may take the assistance of booth volunteer / presiding officer as well, if he or she desires so.
Authorities to approach regarding assistance for a voter withdisability at polling station:
A voter withdisability or his companion can approach the help desk or booth level officer or presiding officer for any specific requirements with regard to voting.
Procedure to get one’s details changed in the electoral roll:
For changing some details in electoral rolls and get it corrected, an application in Form 8A to be submitted totheElectoral Registration Officer concerned.
21 disabilities enlisted in the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016:
Blindness, low vision, Deaf, hard of hearing, physical disabilities, mental illness (psycho social disabilities), leprosy cured, intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, dwarfism, muscular dystrophy, acid attack victims, speech and language disability, specific learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, chronic neurological disorders including multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease, blood disorders including haemophilia, thalassemia, and sickle cell anaemia, and multiple disabilities.
