From the States

Bangalore

Bhopal

Chennai

New Delhi

Tamil Nadu

A step towards an integrated election procedure

Twelve of the 19 visually challenged voters of Barhampur assembly constituency in Assam cast their votes in the second phase of polling at Nagaon, using the special electronic voting machine (EVMs) with Braille signage.

The 12 exercised their right to franchise at the Swahi Smriti High School polling station on the special EVMs introduced for the first time on an experimental basis in the State by the Election Commission to help the visually challenged cast their votes without assistance. An Election Office source said that necessary training was imparted to the polling officials to handle the new system.

Source: Visually impaired cast votes. Deccan Herald, Bangalore, 11th April 2006.

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Visually challenged children develop Braille version of President's autobiography.

Two Bhopal-based visually impaired children have set a scintillating example for the whole world. Despite their physical disability, the twelve-year-olds, Rajendra Dhrive and Kamal Bhamore have developed 'Parwaz' the Hindi version of 'Wings of Fire' in Braille. And that too in just three months!

'Wings of Fire' is the autobiography of President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam and it has been being translated as 'Parwaz' by noted lyricist Gulzar.

Not only this, these children are greatly skilled and had in fact earlier scripted the Braille version of the original 'Wings of Fire' in English, which was released by the President in New Delhi.

Rajendra and Kamal are class VI students at the Scholars Home Public School. They have been learning Braille since the age of 3. Kamal says that he wants to develop a satellite system that would give information of disasters like tsunami, well in advance. Rajendra, a true believer of the President's ideology, says that the way Mr. Kalam has struggled in life and reached as far as he has, is really motivating for all of them.

Today, these kids are studying and competing equally with their counterparts in the school and are second to none. Neither do their teachers find any difficulty in teaching them.

Source: Visually-challenged kids develop Braille version of Kalam's book. The Pioneer, New Delhi, 13th April 2006.

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The election procedure in reference to the disabled

For more than 13 lakh physically challenged voters of the state, exclusion seems the only reality in the polling process. Statistically, this is not an insignificant number.

Conspicuous by their omissions from the lists of candidates of major parties, they are also excluded from the electoral exercise more by default than by design for lack of a disabled-friendly polling system. Leaving alone the logistical problem of putting up disabled-friendly booths in every constituency, even simple issues such as transport (for the orthopedically handicapped) and understanding a ballot paper (for the visually handicapped) are bigger problems.

But these people do not give up. At a seminar on 'Political Representation for the Physically Challenged,' organized by Nandini Voice for the Deprived, the Federation of Tamil Nadu Physically Handicapped Associations and the Confederation of India Organizations for Services and Advocacy (CIOSA) they said that an access-friendly polling environment was their democratic right.

Even the former Chief Election Commissioner, TS Krishnamurthy, suggested proxy/Internet/postal voting, on an experimental basis, until it was possible to have at least two exclusive booths for the disabled in every constituency. T Gnanasekaran, an orthopedically challenged person, (who runs a telephone booth) said that most poll officers were insensitive to the needs of the physically handicapped. Even when they see severely orthopedically handicapped persons stranded in a general queue, most of them do not extend a helping hand. Most of the booths do not even have ramps… Since it is not possible to have ballot papers in Braille for the visually challenged, most of them opt out as some polling officers do not permit a companion while casting a vote.

Mr. Krishnamurthy said that a constituency-wise census would enable them to get an exact profile of the disabled in each district and open the eyes of the candidates to their needs. The Election Commission has issued instructions that the physically handicapped and senior citizens should not be made to stand in queues. He also added that he would take up the issue of separate voter cards with the Commission. He further added that if anyone finds the poll officials unhelpful while voting, they could approach the Election Commission observers.

Source: Ex-CEC for making polls disabled-friendly. Indian Express, Chennai, 17 April 2006.

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The Disabled Rights Group seeks PM for help

The Disabled Rights Group (DRG) has sought intervention of Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh and the UPA chairperson, Sonia Gandhi in ensuring that anyone with 90% disability in the upper limbs be allowed to use a "scribe' while appearing for the Civil Services Examination.

The Group took up the cudgels for Sunita Dogra after the Central Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) denied her permission to use the services of a scribe.

DRG convener, Javed Abidi said that though she could avail of the reservation for disabled people, including certain posts for candidates with disability in the upper limbs, she was not 'entitled' to a scribe as the DoPT rule says that only visually impaired candidates are allowed to write the exam with the help of a scribe.

Also, according to the DRG, the Union Public Service Commission had not responded to a directive sent by the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities.

Source: Disabled Rights Group writes to Manmohan. The Hindu, Delhi, 15th April 2006.

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Nominated representation

NS Venkataraman, trustee, Nandini Voice of Deprived said that the issue of nominated representation for the physically challenged in the Parliament and the Assembly needed to be seriously considered if their political representation was to become a reality. He added that it is virtually impossible to persuade political parties to choose candidates from among the physically challenged.

G Chidambranathan, President of the Federation of Tamil Nadu Physically Handicapped Associations, said that Tanzania and Zambia have created an atmosphere for the disabled to occupy senior positions in the Government. He added that it was essential to mobilize support from various levels of administration from the parliament to the panchayat to ensure the same happens here.

Source: Is poll process inclusive of the disabled? The Hindu, Chennai, 16th April 2006.

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