A noticeable feature in Goa’s Lok Sabha polls on Tuesday has been the large participation of persons with disabilities (PsWD), which was one of the primary objectives of the Election Commission of India. The commission has been working to make elections more accessible and inclusive.
Goa has 7474 PsWD registered voters. Special arrangements such as wheelchairs, manual magnifiers, braille ballot papers and ramps have been made available at all 1,652 polling booths in the State.
Moreover, all PsWD have been provided a special badge “Most Valued voter” for smooth access to polling stations. Ezy Mov free wheelchair taxi services have been provided in Panaji for pickup and drop for PsWD by the election authorities in Goa. Two dedicated officials have been posted at each booth to ensure a more inclusive polling process. A total of 665 visually impaired voters have been provided with Braille voter cards.