Tamil Nadu assembly elections 2026: Disabled voters demand barrier-free access to polling booths

Chennai: Persons with disabilities have raised concerns over the lack of access at polling booths, saying it adversely affects their ability to vote in a barrier-free environment.Saravanan, a voter with muscular dystrophy, said that two years ago he waited for nearly an hour at a polling station at Chepauk, but was ultimately denied direct access to the EVM. "My wheelchair could enter the room, but officials said it could not be turned near the EVM. In the end, my mother cast my vote," he told TOI."I waited all my life to cast my first vote. My mother's political views are different from mine. I don't even know whom she voted for. I hope better measures will be taken this time," he added.T Sathish Kumar, a physically disabled resident of Saidapet, said he fell while trying to access a polling booth during the last Lok Sabha elections. "There were no ramps, and I had to climb stairs. There was no proper assistance from officials," he said.Voters with disabilities have demanded essential facilities such as ramps, clear pathways and dedicated assistance at polling stations to ensure equal participation in the electoral process.Responding, officials said, "Advisory guides have been developed in consultation with the Disability Rights Alliance and placed in polling booths. Every polling booth is equipped with ramps and assistance for people with disabilities." Meanwhile, 8,947 persons with disabilities and those aged above 85 years cast their votes by post in the city.
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