Kohima, October 23 (DIPR): Each elector is important for better functioning of democracy, and must get his/her rights, stated Chief Electoral Officer, Nagaland in a notification. The electoral laws not only guarantee equality to persons with disabilities, but also make provisions for facilitating their access and participation in the electoral process. Accordingly as directed by the Election Commission of India, October 25 has been specially designated, to make special focus on registering and identifying Person with Disability voters in electoral roll. All BLOs shall visit house to house in their respective area to facilitate registration, and also identify the voters already included in the electoral roll to record the type of disability like visual impairment, speech and hearing disability, locomotor disability and others in a plain paper polling, station-wise on the specified day. Such list shall be maintained in the database for facilitation of the aforementioned voters in the following ways:
1. They shall be given preference in obtaining facilities at polling station, voter assistance centers, offices of DEOs/EROs and ROs etc., on any election related issues without waiting in queue. 2. They shall be provided priority voting along with pregnant women voters/lactating mothers on the day of poll. 3. Basic information regarding election process like voter guide, voter slip and voter identity card, braille and sign language shall be prepared for visual and hearing impaired voters. Data of PwDs shall not figure in electoral roll nor in any website of the Election Department for privacy. All stake holders including the Disabled Person Organizations and partnering NGOs, BLOs and district election machineries have been instructed to give their best services for the success of the special drive of registering and identifying the PwDs on October 25.
