Special provision for senior citizens in Kerala

KOCHI: Chief Election Commissioner of India Nasim Zaidi, in response to the letter of Justice Cyriac Joseph, Member, NHRC (dated May 6, 2016), regarding the difficulties faced by the

senior citizens

in exercise of their vote, has said that “special interventions are being carried out to facilitate the senior citizens, who want to exercise their franchise".

Zaidi said that there are standing instructions of ECI for a separate queue at the polling stations, primarily for the senior citizens and physically challenged persons. Instructions have also been issued to give priority/precedence to senior citizens, infirm voters and women with babies over other voters in the queue, wherever separate queues are not provided for. "Also provision of Help Desk has been made in the polling station locations to assist the voters," he added.