Blind Electors got first hand experience of Mock poll with Braille Ballot paper at Krishnagar

ECI has arranged Braille ballot papers for each polling booth this time so that the blind electors who are Braille literate can vote, without the aid of companion as is the prevailing practice. New EVM has Candidate serial number on extreme right of the ballot unit in Braille Language against each Candidate button.

Though we have explained the procedure of use of Braille ballot paper to the Polling Personnel in the training classes, the concept/ steps to be followed are not beyond confusion. In order to do trial/ test run, we arranged EVM demonstration to six Braille educated electors of 83 Krishnagar at 4.30 pm on 21th April 2009. Braille Ballot paper (Dummy) was collected from CEO West Bengal. This dummy ballot paper contains S. No. of Candidate, Name of Candidate and Party Name written on it in Braille.

• Electors were were asked to read the Candidate Name and Party by touching the Braille language and thereafter asked to select the Candidate of their choice to whom they wish to vote.
• Serial Number of the Candidate on dummy ballot paper was identified by him/ her and thereafter, he/ she was asked to locate the serial number of the Candidate of their choice on the ballot unit on extreme right.
• On pressing the button against the serial number of choice Candidate he/ she could record his /her vote in the Machine.
• Blind elector has to see that once the serial number of choice candidate is selected by him/ her, button in left side of the selected number has to be pressed to record the vote.

This procedure must be explained to the elector thoroughly by way of demonstrations/ awareness prior to poll day. It is difficult to use Braille ballot and selection of S. No. of Candidate of choice unless the elector is allowed hands on training.

There are 5-6 booths each at Krishnagar, Ranaghat, Nabadwip, Kalyani and Karimpur where Braille educated electors have been identified. Targeted awareness on EVM and braille ballot paper must be organised to all such electors. As per the reports collected by DEO Nadia office, there are more than 100 Braille educated electors in Nadia. We need to do special briefing of Polling Party of identified booths at the time of DC so that they are adequately trained on how to use the Braille EVM by such electors. Sector officers of these booths must also be sensitised well in advance.

It is matter of great satisfaction that six persons who voted with this system for the first time in mock poll were very happy and pleasantly surprised to know the new fact that they got the right of secrecy of vote now. I asked one woman elector how they voted last time? Frank reply came " my mother accompanied me and guided me to the Candidate of mother's choice". But this time she is determined to vote with the Braille Ballot Paper to the Candidate of her own choice without disclosing to others and compromising the secrecy of voting. Let's make the efforts of ECI really function in true sense and ensure that every Braille educated elector exercise their franchise using the Braille. Video clipping shall be uploaded shortly.