ECI’s Efforts for Inclusivity

• Inclusivity and Accessibility:
  • Ensuring no eligible voter is deprived of their right to vote.
  • Targeting Persons with Disabilities (PwD), senior citizens, transgender individuals, and Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG).
• Optional Home Voting Facility:
  • First-time pan India implementation for citizens aged 85+ and PwDs with 40% disability.
  • Enthusiastic response with many voters sharing their positive experiences.

Success Stories and Leadership

• Leadership and Success:
  • Led by Chief Election Commissioner Shri Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioners Shri Gyanesh Kumar and Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu.
  • Successful voter turnout across various states/UTs through Phase 6 of the elections.
• First-time Voters:
  • Lambada Tribe in Thiruvur Constituency, Shompen tribe of Great Nicobar, and Nishi Tribe in Arunachal Pradesh participated for the first time.

Bridging Barriers

• Infrastructural Enhancements:
  • Ground-floor polling booths with ramps, signage, parking, separate queues, and volunteers.
  • Over 1.78 lakh downloads of the SAKSHAM app for PwD assistance.
• Special Provisions:
  • Braille-enabled EVMs, EPICs, and voter slips.
  • Voter Guide for PwDs and senior citizens in English and Hindi.
• Initiatives for Vulnerable Communities:
  • Camps for enrollment of third-gender electors and marginalized communities.
  • Special events like a T-20 cricket match to raise awareness among PwD voters.

Making Registration and Voting Easy

• Efforts for Homeless and Nomadic Groups:
  • Special registration drives and polling booths in previously inaccessible areas.
  • Free transportation for PVTGs to polling stations.
• Partnerships and Ambassadors:
  • Collaborations with state departments and civil society organizations.
  • Appointed eleven PwD individuals as “ECI Ambassadors.”
• Special Measures for Kashmiri Migrants and IDPs:
  • Abolished cumbersome procedures for voting.
  • Established Special Polling Stations (SPS) for internally displaced persons in Manipur.

Reaching Out to Remote Electors

• Polling in Remote Areas:
  • Polling stations set up in shipping containers and remote villages.
  • Special provisions for voting by Kashmiri migrants and internally displaced persons (IDPs).
• Commitment to Inclusivity:
  • Ensuring “no voter is left behind.”
  • Extensive efforts to facilitate voting for electors in the remotest corners of the country.

By integrating comprehensive strategies and innovative solutions, the Election Commission of India has made significant strides in ensuring that the General Elections 2024 are inclusive and accessible to all eligible voters across the nation.