Polling staff asked to take care of disabled, elderly people

Konkan Divisional Commissioner Shivajirao Daund has directed that Assured Minimum Facilities (AMF) shall be provided by the DEOs at each polling station at the time of the Assembly poll. It includes adequate arrangements of first aid facilities, drinking water, and provide braille-coded voter ID cards to the visually impaired electors at the polling booths.

Thane (Maharastra):Konkan Divisional Commissioner Shivajirao Daund has directed officials concerned to ensure all facilities for disabled persons and senior citizens during voting and to shun the use of plastic at the polling booths. Voting for the 288 Assembly seats in Maharashtra will be held on October 21.

During a review meeting on Tuesday, Daund asked senior officials of the Konkan division districts, including, Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurgh, to make the voting process easier for disabled and elderly people.

He asked them to make adequate arrangements of first aid facilities, drinking water, and information boards providing proper guidance to voters at the polling booths.

In addition to free transport facilities for people with disabilities, he asked the officials to set up auxiliary polling stations, provide braille-coded voter ID cards to visually impaired electors, and also ensure ramps and availability of wheelchairs.

Volunteers from youth organizations like the National Service Scheme and Scouts and Guide will also be roped in to provide assistance to disabled and elderly voters, he said.

Daund also asked the officials to desist from using plastic items at the polling stations. He suggested that efforts be made to increase voter turnout in areas having large housing complexes.

There are over 2.22 crore voters in the Konkan division, with Mumbai suburbs having maximum 72,26,826 electors, followed by Thane-63,39,385 and Mumbai city- 25,04,367, an official release said.

The Konkan division has 75 Assembly seats where 24,087 polling stations will be set up, including Mumbai suburbs having maximum 7,397 booths, followed by Thane- 6,621, Raigad- 2,693, Mumbai city-2,594, Palghar- 2,163, Ratnagiri 1,703 and Sindhudurg 916, it added.