EC taking several measures for aged voters

New Delhi: After the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) raised its concern over the difficulties faced by the aged voters in participating in elections, Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi today said special interventions are being carried out to facilitate them to exercise their franchise.

“Special interventions are being carried out to facilitate the senior citizens, who want to exercise their franchise. There are standing instructions of ECI for a separate queue at the Polling Stations, primarily for the senior citizens and physically challenged persons,” Zaidi said.

“Instructions have also been issued to give priority/precedence to senior citizens, infirm voters and women with babies over other voters in the queue, wherever separate queues are not provided for. Also provision of Help Desk has been made in the Polling Station locations to assist the voters,” he added.

The NHRC had earlier suggested that the Election Commission should provide separate queue for voters aged 70 and above in polling booths during the Kerala legislature elections on May 16.

“It cannot be disputed that a citizen must be enabled to exercise his democratic right to vote. The Election Commission has been exhorting voters to exercise their right to vote. Hence the Election Commission has a duty to remove the obstacles for exercising the right,” NHRC member Justice Cyriac Joseph had said in a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner of India on May 6. (ANI)