Cuttack to have disabled-friendly polling booths

, Nov 29: The

district administration, which recently won the national award for rehabilitating physically-challenged persons, is planning to make all polling booths in the district

-friendly.

All the 2,171 polling booths of the district is to have ramp and wheelchair facilities to help the persons with disabilities exercise their franchise hassle-free during the general elections scheduled next year.

At a review meeting held here on Wednesday, the district authorities discussed measures to ensure better polling percentage in the district.

Although, Election Commission had asked state to provide at least one wheel chair in every polling booth during 2009 general elections, it was not properly implemented. This time officials are determined to make the polling booths disabled-friendly.

It was also decided that booths registering poor percentage of polling would be identified and a systematic approach would be made at the block level to encourage people of these areas to exercise their franchise in large numbers. A voters' awareness drive would be launched targeting young voters, particularly in the age group of 18-25, with more emphasis on first-time voters.

Similarly, many schools, which serve as polling booths, do not have permanent ramps and, therefore, steps would be taken to set up temporary ramps to help persons with disabilities, the meeting decided.

Oneindia News

(With agency inputs)