The initiative for aged and people with disabilities (PwDs) availing the facility of home voting is truly laudable as this positive change will help the aforesaid categories of citizens to feel elated as they also play their vital role in fortifying the democracy to the next level. Those behind this initiative deserve kudos as earlier such citizens were mostly left out giving them an abject feeling of alienation and misery.
Reportedly, home voting was conducted in Samba and Rajouri districts for senior citizens and people with disabilities (PwDs). In this context, Samba District Election Officer constituted 49 teams to facilitate home voting of 514 voters under the categories. Of the 49 teams constituted for home voting, 18 were deputed for Vijaypur constituency, 15 for Ramgarh constituency and 16 teams for Samba constituency. Akin to aforesaid, 191 people availed the home voting facility and cast their votes in Sunderbani area of Rajouri.
The home voting is being conducted for two days, providing voters with ample time and opportunity to exercise their right to vote. The local authorities have worked diligently to ensure a smooth and secure electoral process. This is a great endeavour towards ensuring inclusivity and accessibility of the electoral process and in bolstering democratic participation in the Lok Sabha polls.
Of 514 electors in Samba District, including persons above 85 year and PwDs, 498 voters (96.88%) exercised their franchise by availing the optional home voting facility on 1st day of the home voting. Making electoral process inclusive was not a an easy task as a polling team travelled 25 km by bus and 7 km on foot to reach Padal village in Samba to facilitate home voting facility to an elderly voter.
Similarly, the polling teams also visited border villages located adjacent to the international border making it clear that the Election Commission of India means business and no hurdle can stop it from making things workable and transparent.
All said and done, the introduction of a home voting option represents a transformative step toward enhancing the inclusivity and robustness of democratic processes. By allowing aged and infirm voters to cast their ballots from the comfort of their homes, democracies can significantly increase electoral participation, accommodating those who might otherwise face barriers to voting, and underscore the fundamental democratic principle that every vote counts.
