Delhi to facilitate sightless voters

New Delhi, Nov 21 (IANS) Braille panel was introduced on electronic voting machine (EVMs) to help hundreds of visually impaired citizens cast their votes during the Nov 29 assembly elections in Delhi, an official said here Friday.

'We are adding Braille panel on voting machine for the first time,' said Satbir Silas Bedi, chief electoral officer of Delhi.

She said all the polling stations would have Braille ballot papers. When a sightless voter goes for voting, he/she will be given a Braille ballot paper.

The paper will have the serial number of the candidates, their names and election symbols - all in Braille. The candidate is expected to remember the serial number and go to the EVM. EVMs will have the panel with Braille friendly serial numbers.

'This is a positive step to make election people friendly,' Bedi added.

Authorities, however, said they have no data on the number of visually challenged voters in Delhi.

Bedi said of the 70 constituencies in the capital, only 10 constituencies have more than 16 but less than 30 candidates.

If the constituency has more that 16 candidates, every polling station would need to have two EVMs as one EVM can register vote only for 16 candidates.