5 months ago
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With lone a fortnight near for the section assemblage elections, elder citizens crossed Kerala person travel up with a acceptable of demands aimed astatine ensuring a creaseless and dignified voting experience. At the bosom of their entreaty is the instauration of location voting options for bedridden and paralysed aged voters, galore of whom whitethorn not beryllium capable to scope polling stations.
Some of the organisations person already taken up the request with the predetermination authorities. However, determination is nary clarity connected the fig of voters successful request of home voting option.
Kerala Senior Citizens’ Forum State wide caput C. Kumaran says a petition has already been submitted to the State Election Commission, stating that determination is inactive capable clip to deliberation astir the anticipation of providing the option. “There was a location voting enactment during the erstwhile Lok Sabha elections and it proved adjuvant for galore who different would not person voted,” helium points out.
The forum besides highlights the request for abstracted queues for aged voters, stressing that dividing elder voters connected the ground of age—such arsenic those supra 70 years—was impractical and unfair. Many physically unwell voters beneath 70 years whitethorn besides necessitate precedence assistance, they argue.
K.V. Mathew, a elder elector from Wayanad territory and the State committee subordinate of the Senior Citizens Forum, acknowledges that extending location voting enactment to each elder citizens whitethorn not beryllium practical, but the work tin payment astatine slightest the bedridden voters. For those visiting polling stations with caregiver support, helium says, due seating, shadiness and drinking h2o arrangements are basal requirements.
In Kozhikode district, the elder citizens’ forum led by K.M. Sreedharan and D. Suresh person submitted a elaborate petition to the District Election Officer, urging instructions to the constabulary and predetermination authorities to present a peculiar queue for aged voters astatine the polling stations. They constituent retired that this basic arrangement is indispensable for each aged ones, particularly those nether medication.
Fund diversion
Some of the elder citizens’ forums person besides expressed displeasure astatine the signifier of section bodies diverting the 5% Plan funds meant for elder citizens’ payment to different projects. They allege that the diversion of sanctioned funds successful the sanction of palliative attraction projects is 1 of the incorrect trends followed by immoderate section administrators. “We person already listed our priorities to the candidates of each parties. Our sentiment matters arsenic astir 20% of Kerala’s voters are aged supra 60 years,” says M. Viswanathan, a subordinate of the Senior Citizens’ Forum. He besides adds that the benefits present being enjoyed by the aged people’s assemblage are the effect of specified demands.
