Section 11 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, states that the Election Commission of India and the State Election Commissions shall ensure that all polling stations are accessible to persons with disabilities and all materials related to the electoral process are easily understandable by and accessible to them.
The aforesaid act was made to give effect to the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is an international human rights treaty of the United Nations (UN) intended to ensure full and effective participation and inclusion of persons with disabilities in society.
According to the Strategic Framework on Accessible Elections adopted on 4 July 2018 in the National Consultation on Accessible Elections, the Election Commission of India is committed to building an equal access framework for persons with disabilities supported by the fundamentals of responsiveness, respect, and dignity to enhance elector confidence among them; and support initiatives for improved service offerings to enhance their electoral participation.
The Election Commission recognises the use of accessible technological tools for facilitating persons with disabilities of different categories to cast their votes.
Article 15 of the Indian constitution also prohibits discrimination by the State against any citizen (including disabled) on the ground of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth. Yet, persons with disabilities have been fighting for long for their right to vote on a par with other citizens.