In order to make upcoming Punjab Assembly Elections friendly and accessible for Persons with Disabilities (PwD), Office of Chief Electoral Officer Punjab on Monday organized a webinar on Sensitization and Training of Poll Volunteers for Facilitation of PwD voters. Notably, there are 1,58,341 PwD voters in the state.Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Punjab Dr S Karuna Raju accompanied by Additional CEO DPS Kharbanda, while addressing the stakeholders virtually said that they are not leaving any stone unturned to reach out to the PwD voters. Stakeholders including Booth Level Officers (BLOs), District Social Security Officers (DSSOs), District Education Officers (DEOs), Anganwadi Workers, Volunteers from NSS/NCC/Bharat Scouts and Guide/Nehru Yuva Kendras and Chon Mittars joined the webinar.Dr Raju said CEO Office will ensure transport facility to PwDs on election day besides ensuring priority access to them.
He said that every polling booth will have at least one wheel chair for the convenience of PwD voters and 10 volunteers will be deployed at each booth for facilitation of PwDs.He directed all the stakeholders to visit home of PwD voters to personally invite them to participate in the Assembly Polls by exercising their franchise. He also asked them to ensure that all PwD voters have downloaded the PwD app and registered themselves on the app to avail facilities provided by the ECI.He directed Education department/technical education department to identify volunteers, while asking the DSSOs to make elections friendly for the PwD voters by deputing Anganwadi workers at each booth on poll day to assist the PwD voters and mothers with small children.Dr Raju said that volunteers performing well as per the reports of BLO Supervisor/RO would be honored on National Voters Day.Meanwhile, a training video made by PwD coordinators was also shown to the stakeholders during the webinar to sensitize them about things to keep in mind while facilitating PwD voters on polling day.