A provision had been made for a differently abled person to be accompanied by another person to assist in marking the ballot paper, the Elections Department announced yesterday.
Issuing a statement the department said that the new provision would be applicable to the forthcoming Local Government elections (2nd phase).
It also said that the person who accompanied the disabled person should be more than 18 years of age and not a contesting candidate at the election. Similarly, he should not be a person subject to any disability.
“The disabled person should hand over to the officers at the polling station a Certificate of Eligibility prescribed in the Tenth Scheduled to the Act.
Accordingly, the disabled persons should carry his identity card or any other approved identity document acceptable at the polling station and the Certificate of Disability certified by the Government Medical Officer.
It was also essential that the person accompanying the disable voter should also bring his own Identity Card or identity document which was acceptable at the pooling station, the statement said.
The statement also said “No disabled voter can go to the polling station without an accompanying person. The certificate of disability will be retained with the Senior Presiding Officer”
Source: Daily Mirror – 11.07.2011