KATHMANDU, NOVEMBER 3
The Election Commission has decided to make 100 polling centres disabled-friendly across the country for the November 20 elections to the House of Representatives and provincial assemblies.
According to a bulletin released by the EC, it will have a provision for displaying a sign language list, providing orientation to employees to be deputed to the disabled-friendly polling centres on the use of sign language, managing Braille materials related to the technique of casting vote, colourful rope and pole, construction of ramp for easy access of wheelchairs to the polling booth, and table and chair for differently-abled persons.
The EC has fixed a total of 22,226 polling centres for the twin elections.
Recently, the National Human Rights Commission had consulted the EC on how the upcoming elections could be held in a more human rights-friendly manner. The discussion dwelt on ways to hold the elections in a free, fair and human rights-friendly manner through effective enforcement of the election code of conduct, maintenance of law and order, election monitoring and supervision, voter's education, and easy access for differently-abled persons and senior citizens to the polling centres.
In the previous polls, the rights body had painted a dismal picture of arrangements made by the government, the EC, and relevant authorities in ensuring maximum and overwhelming participation of voters. As per the pre-poll monitoring conducted by the rights body in the local polls, there was no arrangement for easy accessibility for helpless, incapacitated, and differently-abled persons to the polling centres.
The EC did not even have information about the number of women, Dalits, senior citizens, and differently-abled persons who would exercise their right to vote owing to lack of disaggregated data related to voters.
Many polling centres were inaccessible and voters needed to walk for up to 10 hours to reach the polling centres. Also, there was rampant violation of the election code of conduct by political parties.
A version of this article appears in the print on November 4, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.
