Booths for the disabled but voters say there are miles to go

While several other citizens with physical disability,heart problems and orthopedic problems shared Khanna’s sentiments,the visually challenged voters begged to differ.

Many,who previously were given Braille sheets with candidate names and numbers and then had to take help to find the same on the machine,found the experience of having voted all by themselves exhilarating. “I really enjoyed voting for the first time by myself” said Joquim Rapose,a visually-challenged activist. Rapose was supposed to go out of the city since it was a long weekend,but the new concept made sure he stayed back and cast his vote.

Many visually challenged were happy at the helpfulness of the officers at the polling booths. Ravi,a student of Master of Social Work who voted at National College,Bandra said,“I have voted four times before but this time,the awareness level amongst the on-duty staff was very good. They were cooperative and helpful.”

Raman Shankar,the Director of Education of Braille Press of the National Association for the Blind,said,“The NAB helped in the printing of the Braille ballot papers and stickers for the EVM machine and provided it to the Election Commission. They were responsible for training and making people aware of provisions.”

According to Ankita Agrawal,a volunteer with the Disability Rights Group,who was patrolling between Colaba,Navy Nagar and Churchgate in the Mumbai-South constituency,said,“All polling stations seemed to have Braille,however,a couple of them like GD Somani School and Scholar High School,had not provided ramps. Officials on polling duty in my constituency said they were personally assisting the physically-challenged voters and ensuring that they don’t have to stand in queue or climb stairs.”

Responding to the PIL filed by Nilesh Singat and Raju Waghmare of Disability Rights Group,the Bombay High Court,on April 2,had asked the EC to comply with the Supreme Court guidelines for disabled-friendly voting process.

The guidelines stated that all urban and semi-urban polling booths should have ramps for the physically challenged voters and a separate queue for them. Besides,it sated that Braille numbers should be affixed next to the ballot button on all EVMs and a list of candidates in Braille be made available in the same order at the booths.

Waghmare,one of the petitioners said,“For the past month,we have been personally meeting physically-challenged people and asking them to vote.” Singat,who was patrolling booths in Matunga Sion,Dharavi and Koliwada in South-Central added,“Also in many areas across the city,the staff on electoral duty seemed to be misinformed about the new provisions .”

The scene at Villa Theresa High School was different,with the centre’s booths being split between two separate halls and some booths set up underground. The ramp leading into one hall was a gently sloping wooden ramp,while the other was a cracked,steep and slippery one. However,despite the ramp’s inadequacy,human intervention was at hand to save the day in the form of a joint team comprising members of the Home Guard and a private security company.

Bhavanjeet Jha and Shravankumar Rai from Lion Security and Kishori Dhuri,Nandkishore Kadam and Rani Kale from the Home Guard form the team that helps senior citizens,physically impaired to climb up and down the ramp. “It’s quite a slippery ramp,” said Dhuri and added,“Which is exactly why we are here to help people.” When asked if that would distract them from ensuring the security of the polling centre,Jha replied,“Our only job right now is to ensure that people use the ramp safely and are helped wherever necessary.”

(With inputs from Dhanya Nair)