The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Shri Om Prakash Rawat inaugurated a two-day National Consultation on Accessible Elections in New Delhi today, in the presence of the Election Commissioners Shri Sunil Arora and Shri Ashok Lavasa, among others. The CEC said in his address that there should be more sensitivity in the society towards the needs of Persons with Disabilities (PwD), adding that it would contribute to their full participation in electoral processes. He noted that India has a strong legal framework to ensure necessary facilities for them to vote. He also referred to the international treaties like the UN Convention on the Rights of PwDs to which India is a signatory. He said that lack of insensitivity towards their needs often lead to gaps in ensuring their maximum participation in elections. Shri O.P.Rawatasked the participants in the National Convention to devise an effective strategy to ensure full participation of the PwD’s in elections, that can be emulated globally.The Election Commissioner Shri Sunil Arora in his address said that the Election Commission of India (ECI) is always empathetic tothe needs of the PwDs. He expressed hope that the fast paced advancements in technology would help in ensuring their full scale participation in elections, by way of removing the barriers and hassles they come across.
Ashok Lavasa, the Election Commissioner, noted that the Constitution of India guarantees all voters the right to vote in a barrier-free environment. He sought the participation of all stakeholders including civil society organizations in devising sustainable plans to ensure accessible elections for all including the PwDs. He said that the involvement of voluntary groups in implementing government schemes have met with grand successes. He expressed satisfaction that the ECI is getting good support from Non-Governmental Organizations in its outreach efforts. During the inaugural session of the National Consultation on Accessible Elections, the Commission unveiled the dedicated portal of its “Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP)” initiative and a mobile app called ‘eVIGIL’ that facilitates citizens-policing during elections in a reliable manner.The Chief Electoral Officers of six states that went to the Assembly polls recently shared their experiences in making barrier-free environment for the PwDs. Technical sessions followed. The event was attended among others by Shri Umesh Sinha, Senior Deputy Election Commissioner, Shri Sandeep Saxena, Deputy Election Commissioner, Shri DhirendraOjha, Director General, Ms Padma Angmo, Director and representatives from different political parties, ministries and civil society organizations that work among PwDs.