New Delhi: In a heartening display of democratic fervor, a voter with disabilities defied physical constraints to exercise her constitutional right to vote in the Jammu Kashmir's Udhampur Lok Sabha Election 2024.
The PwD voter, named Mohammad Rafiq Daing cast his vote at the Ramban polling station with the assistance of the officials and social welfare department.
He also expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Election Department, DEO Ramban, and the Social Welfare Department for ensuring seamless access for PwD voters across the district.
"I am grateful to the whole team of the Ramban polling station and social welfare of Ramban who have provided us with transportation and assistant devices," he said in a video posted by Deputy Commissioner (DEO), Ramban on X.
The Election Commission of India made arrangements to ensure disability-friendly upcoming Lok Sabha election and instructed to provide free pass for using public transport on poll day for senior citizens, and persons with disabilities (PwD).
The Election Commission of India has instructed to provide free passes for using public transport on poll day for Senior citizens, Persons with visual and locomotive disabilities, and voters with impaired movement shall be provided free pass for using public transport on poll day.
If public transport is not available, then arrangements for free pick up and drop from their residence to the polling booth may be made. The eligible voters may also be provided with a registration facility on the Saksham ECI App or a helpline to avail of these facilities.
Voting for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024 began on Friday across 102 parliamentary constituencies spread over 21 states and Union Territories as the mega seven-phase electoral exercise commenced at 7:00 am.
The total voter turnout was registered at 57.09 per cent in the constituency till 3.00 pm, according to the Election Commission of India.
According to the officials, in this election, there is an inclusion of 23,637 Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) within the electoral roll, encompassing 14,362 males and 9,275 females in the constituency.
Udhampur encompasses an expansive area of 16,707 square kilometers. It consists of 18 assembly segments spanning five districts -- Kishtwar, Doda, Ramban, Udhampur and Kathua.
The constituency, which was reshaped with three assembly constituencies of Reasi district carved out on the recommendations of the delimitation commission in 2022, had recorded 70.2 per cent polling in Lok Sabha elections in 2019.
The BJP has given a fresh ticket to sitting Udhampur MP and Union Minister Jitendra Singh, who has been representing the constituency in the Lok Sabha since 2014 when he defeated then-Congress leader and former chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.
Prominent among others in the fray include Congress leader and two-time former Member of Parliament Choudhary Lal Singh and DPAP's G M Saroori besides Six independents.
In the 2019 elections, the BJP won three seats while the National Conference won the remaining three. (ANI)
