Thiruvananthapuram: Providing ramps and wheelchairs at all polling stations and transportation facilities to the polling centres were among the suggestions that came up at a meeting held by the election department officials with the representatives of differently-abled persons here on Thursday.
Chief electoral officer (CEO) Teeka Ram Meena, who convened the meeting as part of preparation for the general elections, said that a special enrolment drive for differently-abled persons was also being planned.
“We are trying to get the number of differently-abled persons in the state so that we could carry out the enrolment drive very effectively,” he said.
It was in the wake of instructions from the Election Commission of India to ensure maximum participation of voters that the meeting with representatives of differently-abled persons was held.
A serious plight raise at the meeting was the absence of ramps in many polling centres. Though there would be ramp at the entrance of the polling centre, some of the polling booths inside the centre were situated at a raised level and hence several steps need to be climbed. The CEO instructed all district collectors to look into the matter.
Mr Meena said that the scope of providing wheel chairs at polling centres with the help of voluntary organisations like National Service Scheme would be explored. He also said that discussions would be held with transport department officials on the possibility of arranging transportation to differently-abled persons to polling centres.
