The Thiruvananthapuram district SVEEP (Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation) has reached out to differently abled voters and senior citizens to realise its aim of inclusive and accessible elections.
The SVEEP team is setting up a control room for differently abled voters who are not on the absentee voter list and cannot vote through postal ballot, but have mobility issues that make it difficult for them to reach the polling station without aid. Through the Election Commission of India’s Saksham app, these differently abled voters can request for a wheelchair, vehicle assistance, or help of a volunteer. The services will be handled by the District Social Justice Officer.
Prior to it, a mapping of differently abled voters who cannot vote from home but are unable to reach the booths will be done. A 24x7 control room will then be set up at the District Collectorate where they can ask for assistance.
Thiruvananthapuram Assistant Collector Akhil V. Menon who is the nodal officer of the district SVEEP said this idea was mooted during ‘Vote Samvadam with the Collector’ (voter debates). Vote Samvadams are organised to meet with various sections of voters to get their suggestions. It was the differently abled voters who suggested that support be made available to them through the Saksham app.
A similar initiative to provide assistance to senior citizens was being planned, Mr. Menon said.
In a first, the SVEEP team organised a Vote Samvadam with sex workers. The team collaborated with the Socio Economic Unit Foundation – Suraksha Project under the Kerala AIDS Control Society. A class was held for them to address their privacy concerns. “We are expecting them to turn out in good numbers. We will reach out to them again ahead of the elections.”
Over 600 trained volunteers from the National Service Scheme, National Cadet Corps, and non-governmental organisations will be deployed so that any assistance required by the differently abled, the elderly, transgender persons, and sex workers at the polling booth can be provided to them.
