Separate queue must for voters aged 70 and above: NHRC to EC

KOCHI: NHRC has suggested that the Election Commission of India should provide separate queue for voters aged 70 and above in all polling booths in the state for the Kerala state legislature elections on May 16.

"It cannot be disputed that a citizen must be enabled to exercise his democratic right to vote. The Election Commission has been exhorting voters to exercise their right to vote. Hence the Election COmmission has a duty to remove the obstacles for exercising the right," said Justice Cyriac Joseph in a lettter to the chief election commissioner of India, Nasim Zaidi.

Observing that for the aged, who are physically weak and suffering from various ailments, a long wait at the polling booth in the sun and the rain is definitely an obstacle for the exercise of their right to vote, he said, "It is highly desirable to ensure that the situation in the polling booths is friendly to the aged people. It will be in consonance with the commitment of the Government of India to promote and protect the human rights of the elderly persons".

He added that the demand for separate queues for voters aged 70 and above is quite justifiable and also practicable as the age of the voter is in the voter's list.

The letter was sent after VK Beeran, special offcier, Regulatory Board for Protecting the Rights of Senior Citizens, Government of Kerala had raised the concern about difficulties experienced by senior citizens or elderly people in exercising their right to vote in the Lok Sabh and State Legislatures as they have to wait in queue for a long time. He said 50 lakh voters in Kerala are senior citizens aged 60 and above.

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