In a joint initiative of Delhi State Election Commission and Aashray Adhikar Abhiyan (AAA), an NGO, Delhi's homeless are being enrolled in the voters’ list so that they can avail their constitutional right of casting votes.
According to the Election Commission, more than 6,000 homeless people have filled up their forms so far and around 70 have already been issued the cards.
To make this happen, commission officials, along with their volunteers, had visited shelters for the homeless people in past few days.
Bharat, additional chief election officer said, “Any homeless living under a flyover or rail tracks or anywhere where he frequents can apply for the voter’s card as long as he is found present twice at the said place when checked by our booth level officer (BLO) when the officer goes for a surprise check.”
Empowerment
He further said, “Getting voter’s card is getting empowered.” Paramjeet Kaur, director of AAA lauds the exercise which will grant full citizenship rights to the homeless people after a gap of several decades.
“After a long struggle, the homeless are becoming voters in the city. The condition of the homeless is bad because they are non-voters. With this endeavour, they will no longer remain invisible,” said Kaur.
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