Are Polling Booths Disabled-Friendly? Partly, Say Voters

In Mizoram and Shillong, elderly and disabled voters had a lot of help to ease the process of voting.

A poll booth volunteer helps a voter at a polling booth in Shillong.

(Photo Courtesy: Rikynti Marwein/Altered by The Quint)

A total of 91 constituencies across 20 states in the country are voting in the first phase of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Citizen journalists have told The Quint’s My Report that while some polling booths are disabled-friendly, others lack ramps and further arrangements for the disabled and elderly.

In Mizoram and Shillong, for example, poll volunteers were deployed to help senior citizens and disabled at many booths.

A voter being carried on a wheelchair at a polling booth in Mizoram.

A voter being carried on a wheelchair at a polling booth in Mizoram.

Matdaan Mitras helping voters in Shillong.

Poll volunteers helping voters in Shillong.

Poll volunteers helping voters in Shillong.

Poll volunteers helping voters in Shillong.

Poll volunteers helping voters in Shillong.

A voter being carried on a wheelchair at a polling booth in Mizoram.

Vivek Chaturvedi from Noida, Uttar Pradesh told The Quint that his polling booth in Sector 44 lacked a ramp for his 88-year-old father who was unable to walk the stairs due to his knee replacement surgery. Mr Chaturvedi questioned why their was no arrangement for the elderly or disabled. He was diverted to the District Office and then told that arrangements will be made.

Saad, a citizen journalist from Hyderabad, says that despite two elections in the newly formed Telangana, there aren’t any ramps for the ease of senior citizens and disabled at his polling booth.

An old woman walks up the stairs to cast her vote.

(All 'My Report' branded stories are submitted by citizen journalists to The Quint. Though The Quint inquires into the claims/allegations from all parties before publishing, the report and the views expressed above are the citizen journalist's own. The Quint neither endorses, nor is responsible for the same.)