Accessible Elections theme for National Voters Day

​Hyderabad: The Election Commission of India declared ‘Accessible Elections’ as the central theme for this year’s National Voters’ Day celebrations. As part of the theme, special focus would be given to facilitate a larger engagement of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in the electoral process. Across the State nearly 4,12,098 PwD electors have been mapped in the electoral rolls.

Chief Election Commissioner Om Prakash Rawat and Election Commissioners Ashok Lavasa and Sunil Arora on Tuesday interacted with nine people with disabilities, who agreed to work with the office of the CEO as icons. During the interaction, the officials and celebrities discussed the need to engage more PwDs and increase the number mapped to the polling stations. On the occasion, the Election Commission launched Braille epic cards and voter slips.

The EC officials also flagged off GHMC’s model mobile van showing the Model Polling Station for PwDs and a mobile van for EVM and VVPAT being used to create awareness among the electors. The Commission also inaugurated Voter Accessibility App for the Differently Abled (VAADA) developed by Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation.

The mobile app will make the voting process for the differently abled convenient and will increase the accessibility by enabling them to request for transportation and identification of location of their polling station.