Tamil Nadu election: Persons with disabilities to launch campaign for accessibility in Chennai

Persons with disabilities will launch a campaign for accessibility in the Assembly constituencies of Chennai ahead of the April 23 election.

Disability Rights Alliance member Smitha Sadasivan said, “We want more demonstrations on EVMs so that persons with disabilities and their supporters can get a clear idea of how to plan the voting process in a manner suitable to each individual.”

“For example, people with limited hand function can learn how to reach the button, how to extend their hand, and how much pressure to apply. Supporters and caregivers can also discuss with the person with disability and understand how best to assist them. The GCC [Greater Chennai Corporation] usually conducts mock polling demonstrations for persons with disabilities, but we would like more experiential sessions to be held in collaboration with NGOs and special schools.”

Disability rights activist T.M.M. Deepak said the Election Commission must ensure accessible information about all candidates and their manifestos, so that persons with disabilities can understand and analyse parties and candidates.

“Information plays a vital role in enabling informed decision-making. Legal provisions in the statute and directives of the Supreme Court emphasise that access to elections does not stop at physical access alone. When information available to blind and deaf persons is limited, ensuring only physical access for persons with disabilities will not serve the purpose of inclusion,” Mr. Deepak said.

He added, “The ECI must also include persons with non-conventional disabilities, without limiting its scope to those specified under the RPwD [Rights of Persons with Disabilities] Act alone. Disability and functional difficulties should be the guiding principles, as disability jurisprudence has evolved beyond a purely medical model.”

The Chennai District Election Office will organise an awareness campaign on the Marina beach for persons with disabilities this week. “The awareness campaign will focus on improving electoral participation of persons with disabilities,” said an official.