A senior citizens’ organisation wrote to the Maharashtra Election Commissioner listing recommendations facilities for smooth voting for senior citizens in the upcoming Vidhan Sabha elections. The letter also stated the issues faced by the elderly voters in the last Lok Sabha elections and requested the election commission to provide special voting facilities for senior citizens.
Silver Inning Foundation, a non-government organisation working towards creating an elder and dementia friendly world since 2008, wrote to the state election commissioner of Maharashtra to put forward suggestions to provide a convenient voting facility for senior citizens in the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections.
The letter written on Wednesday, stated the difficulties faced by senior citizens while exercising their voting rights during the Lok Sabha elections held in June. It included, standing in long queues without getting a seat, lack of fans amid humid weather, as well as lack of help desks for senior citizens. It also said that many voting booths were located at first floors where ramps, lifts or elevators were not available and many booths even failed to provide drinking water and toilet facilities.
On the basis of the inconveniences faced in the Lok Sabha elections, Silver Inning Foundation also listed recommendations and demanded facilities for smooth voting for all elderly people. It requested the election commissioner to arrange polling booths on the ground floor for senior citizens with suitable ramps and elevators or lift facility for booths located on the first floor. It also requested provision for wheelchairs along with volunteers and seating arrangements outside the voting booth.
The list requested the election commission to accept digital identity cards from senior citizens if they forget their ID cards, allowing them to carry mobile phones and transport facility till the voting centre. It also recommended a special registration and voting facility for senior citizens living in old age homes. Additionally, it also demanded priority to senior citizens in the queue, fans in the waiting area, drinking water facility, toilets, overhead shade, first aid and help desk.
Sailesh Mishra Mobile, founder president of Silver Inning, said, “We hope Election Commission of Maharashtra will provide special voting facilities for over one crore senior citizens during the Maharashtra state elections. With a focus on voters aged 60+ and 80+, the Election Commission needs to introduce several initiatives to make the voting process easier and more accessible for our elders. Let's make Maharashtra Elections a benchmark for elder-friendly voting."
