The Election Commission on Thursday asked political parties to promote inclusivity for people with disabilities, including not using “ableist” terms like dumb (gunga), deaf (behra), lame (langda) in political discourse.
The commission issued an advisory to all political parties to this effect and urged them and their candidates to abide by it in letter and spirit.
“The very foundation of democracy lies in the representation of all communities in the electoral process. Accessible and inclusive elections have been a non-negotiable premise for the Election Commission of India to ensure equal participation of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs),” the ECI said in a statement.
