Differently-abled voters to be given pick-and-drop facility to cast votes: Raj poll official

The Election Commission of India has decided to deploy pick-and-drop vans for differently abled voters to help them exercise their franchise without hassle during the December 7 Rajasthan assembly polls.

Talking of the voter-friendly measure, District Election Officer Ravi Kumar said the differently abled voters will not only be ferried to the polling booths and back hame, but they would also be ushered inside the polling booth in wheelchairs by volunteers.

To implement this measure, the district administration is appointing transport nodal officers in every district, while the booth level officers (BLO) have been asked to identify differently abled voters, enlisted to cast votes at their booths.

The BLOs will provide lists of differently abled voters to the transport nodal officers, who can be contacted directly by voters to avail the pick-and-drop facilities.

"Volunteers will remain present at every polling booth with a wheel chair to receive such voters from the van, take them into the polling booth on it and then take them back to the vehicle after they cast their vote," said Kumar.