Election 2019: NSS, Scout teens to help EC on voting day

The Election Commission has also set up a pick-and-drop service for people with disabilities through special taxis

With the Lok Sabha elections a fortnight away, the Election Commission's preparations are on in full swing. Among the various preparations is roping in volunteers below the age of 18 years from youth organisations like the National Service Scheme (NSS) and the Bharat Scouts and Guide to provide some much-needed help on the voting day in the city.

Across six constituencies in Mumbai, voting will be carried out at 10,447 polling stations. In order to ensure a better voter turnout, the Election Commission is this year focussing on encouraging and aiding people with disabilities and the elderly to come out and vote. Students of NSS and Scouts will help such people reach their polling centres.

Farogh Mukadam, deputy district election officer for Mumbai City district, said that the volunteers will be coordinating with the traffic police at all polling stations. "We are getting volunteers in the age group of 14-17 years to ensure that people eligible to vote are not disturbed. For the Mumbai city district, we are trying to get two volunteers at each of the 527 locations where polling stations have been set up.

The volunteers will help people with disabilities to reach their booths along with managing queues," she said. The Election Commission has also offered a pick-and-drop service for voters who are physically challenged. A mobile application was also launched last week through which people can register their request for a pick and drop.

Apart from arranging for buses and taxis, Mukadam added that the commission has also made arrangement for 14 special taxis with a crane designed to ferry people with disabilities. These taxis will operate throughout the day on April 29. A survey by the Election Commission states that there are 5,303 physically-challenged voters in Mumbai city. Of these, 787 are visually impaired and 2,359 are unable to move independently.

527
No. of polling locations in Mumbai city

10,447
No. of polling stations across the city

5,303
No. of physically-challenged voters in Mumbai city

2,359
No. of voters unable to move independently

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