KATHMANDU, MAY 9
The Election Commission has said it is committed to protecting the right to vote of persons with disabilities as any eligible Nepali citizen in the local level polls scheduled for May 13.
Issuing a press release, the EC informed that the returning officer would allow a member of the same family to assist the visually impaired or physically incapacitated person, who is unable to identify the election symbol he/she intends to vote for. In the case of such a person, a member of his/her same family is required to take permission from the returning officer to lead him/her to the polling booth and caste vote.
In response to the request on behalf of the visually impaired or person with a disability, the returning officer will allow a member of the same family to assist him/her in casting vote.
"Before granting the permission, the returning officer will confirm whether the concerned person is visually impaired and physically incapacitated. A member of the same family should mark on the election symbol as told by the visually impaired or person with a disability with the returning officer as a witness," the poll panel said. The EC said that the member of the same family would act as a caretaker, not a proxy on behalf of the visually impaired and person with disability.
According to an election observation report released by the Nepal Law Society in the 2018 Parliamentary and Provincial Assembly elections, there were instances of misuse of legal provisions that allow a close family member to assist a visually impaired or a person with a disability. Such misuse was seen in polling centres in Dolakha, Gorkha, Jumla, Nuwakot, Kanchanpur, Rautahat and other districts.
A single person was found to have cast a ballot on behalf of five senior citizens in Kanchanpur.
Even though there are clear provisions in the law that allows a voter in need to seek the help of a returning officer to cast his/her ballot, the party representatives engaged in an unnecessary argument.
This shows a lack of knowledge of the legal provisions. On the day of polling, vehicles meant for election campaign are misused and are found to be transporting voters by major political parties. But people in need such as senior citizens, ailing persons and persons with disabilities have to walk on foot to get to the polling centres because of a ban on public transport on the day of polling.
A version of this article appears in the print on May 10, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
