EC launches electoral photo identity card in braille

The Election Commission on Wednesday launched electoral photo identity card (EPIC) in braille for visually challenged voters.

Chief Election Commissioner O P Rawat formally handed over the EPICs in braille to two visually challenged electors at the end of the conference, which the EC held in New Delhi for discussion on ways to make elections accessible for the people with disabilities.

He announced that such cards would be issued to all visually challenged voters across the country.

Rawat announced a series of measures initiated by the Election Commission to make it easier for the people with disabilities to cast votes.

The EC decided to establish auxiliary polling stations for the PwDs (Persons with Disabilities) during elections. He said that the disability coordinators would be appointed at the levels of assembly constituencies, districts and states.

A mobile app would be developed in-house by the commission for the PwDs to facilitate them participate fully in election processes. The PwDs would be permitted to avail public transport along with their attendants on the day of polling.

The EC would make available all its election-related awareness materials in accessible formats for the PwDs, said Rawat.

The chief election commissioner said that sign language windows would be established in all audio-visual training and awareness contents of the EC for the use of the hearing impaired voters.

He announced that a new unit called Accessible Division would be established in the ECI-run International Institute of Democracy and Electoral Management (IIDEM) in New Delhi. Accessibility Master Trainers would also be employed to provide cascaded training for the welfare of the PwDs, he added.