Arunachal Govt accused of violating SC order

The Supreme Court had ordered that poll booths should be made accessible to disabled persons.

The Arunachal Pradesh government was on Tuesday accused of flouting the Supreme Court order of making polling booths accessible to persons with disability and enable them to exercise their right to vote.

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In an order on April 19 last, the Supreme Court had directed all states and union territories across the country to make polling booths accessible to disabled persons by providing wooden ramps, Ketaki Bordoloi, secretary of the Regional Disability Law Unit of North East (RDLU-NE), a project coordinated by an NGO Sishu Sarothi, said in Guwahati.

The Chief Election Commissioner had also committed that they will take steps to ensure by the "next general elections to the legislative assemblies of certain states that are due towards the end of the year," Bordoloi said.

RDLU-NE wrote to the Chief Electoral Officer of Arunachal Pradesh MK Parida on September 6, with copies to Chief Minister Gegong and the Chief Election Commissioner, requesting him to implement the Supreme Court order, she said.

Acknowledging the letter, she said, Parida had assured her that he would arrange for making polling booths barrier-free and accessible to people with disability.

On October 7, the day election, a two-member team of RDLU along with the Chairman of All Arunachal Pradesh Handicapped Welfare Society (AAHWC) Tami Taniang checked 10 polling booths and found that no ramps were provided for the disabled voters, Bordoloi said.