Times of India: New Delhi: Wednesday,
March 12, 2014.
There is no record of number of disabled voters
and no information on complaints and action taken on violations of the apex
court's order to provide facilities in polling booths for them, RTI replies
from 35 assembly constituencies have revealed.
Delhi will go to polls in four weeks and little
seems to have been done for disabled voters. TOI reported how scores of
disabled city electors faced hurdles casting their votes .
"Since the same polling booths will be used in next month's election, it is
of paramount importance to highlight the violations of the Supreme Court's 2007 judgement and failure of the chief electoral officer, Delhi, to protect
the rights of those with disabilities," RTI activist Dr Satendra Singh,
from University College of Medical Sciences, Delhi University, said.
Through RTI plea, Singh, who is himself disabled,
sought replies on 18 queries such as number of electors with disabilities, how many of them
voted and their type of disability.
A day after the Delhi assembly election, Singh
wrote to the chief electoral officer of Delhi, marking copies to chief commissioner
of disability and Delhi commissioner of disability, stating that many
physically disabled voters were unable to exercise their franchise on December 4 because polling booths were inaccessible. Asked in an RTI query about
details of complaints received pertaining to difficulties faced by electors
with disabilities and action taken, the replies said no complaint or
information was available. "What is the point of having email for
grievance on website?" Singh said.
Interestingly, six assembly constituencies replied
"since a person with mental disability cannot be an elector, the question
of voting does not arise". The reply of the returning officer from Burari
constituency said "not allowed to vote".
"In the eyes of law, every person (including mentally ill, mentally
challenged, medically ill, hospitalized, and incarcerated) over the age of 18 years is fully competent to vote unless declared otherwise by a court of
law. If someone's name is on the voters' list, they can vote irrespective of
whether they suffer from a mental illness or not. The RTI reply reveals a myth
among the masses," Singh said.
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