EC wants maximum voting by differently-abled eligible voters
Agartala, Sep 1: The Election Commission would conduct intensive mapping aiming at getting the maximum number of differently-abled voters to exercise their franchise including in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and later, an official said here on Saturday.
"The Election Commission has asked all the states to conduct exhaustive mapping of differently-abled eligible voters so that maximum number of such voters can cast their votes in future elections...," Tripura Chief Electoral Officer Sriram Taranikanti told the media here.
"Special arrangements, including engagement of volunteers were always made in most of the polling stations for the differently-abled eligible voters.
"Now the election authorities would conduct a study whether any polling station was missing in arranging the special arrangements for them.
"Our target is to make user-friendly special arrangements for each and every otherwise-abled eligible voter in their respective or nearest polling stations," he added.
According to the 2011 census, there are 2.68 crore differently-abled voters, which is 2.21 per cent of total of 121 crore population. Among the disabled population 56 per cent (1.5 crore) are men and 44 per cent (1.18 crore) are women.
"Of the 2.68 crore otherwise-abled persons, around 1.75 crore likely to be eligible voters," a senior official of the Tripura election department told IANS.
In Tripura, the Election Department would collect the number and other details of the state's "differently-abled" population from the Social Welfare Department. The state has approximately 50,000 physically challenged voters.
The Election Commission has directed conducting of a special summary revision of the electoral rolls of all states and Union Territories with January 1, 2019, as qualifying date of age.
"After several months of long summary revision of the voters list, the final publication of the photo-affixed electoral rolls would be done in the first week of January 2019 and on the basis of that rolls, the Lok Sabha elections would be held," Taranikanti said.
On Saturday, with the publication of the draft electoral rolls several months long process for a special summary revision of the electoral rolls has begun.
According to the draft rolls, Tripura currently has 25,73,413 electorates, including 12,68,027 women voters.
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Gehlot changes profile pic to 'Save Aravalli', asks Centre to reconsider definition
Jaipur (PTI): Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Thursday urged the Centre to reconsider its definition of the Aravallis, warning that any damage to the mountain range posed a serious threat to the ecological future of north India.
Gehlot, a former Rajasthan chief minister, changed his social media profile picture in support of the nationwide 'SaveAravalli' campaign amid growing debate over mining and environmental safeguards in the Aravalli Range.
It was his symbolic protest against the new interpretation under which hills lower than 100 metres are no longer being recognised as part of the Aravalli system, he said.
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"The Aravalli cannot be judged by tape measures or height alone. It must be assessed by its ecological importance," Gehlot said, adding that the revised definition raised "a big question" over the future of north India.
Appealing to the Centre and the Supreme Court, Gehlot said the issue must be reconsidered in the interest of future generations and environmental security. He also urged citizens to participate in the campaign by changing their display pictures online to draw attention to the issue.
He said the Aravalli range functioned as a natural green wall against the expansion of the Thar desert and extreme heatwaves, protecting Delhi, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh. Opening up smaller hills and so-called gap areas for mining would allow desertification to advance rapidly, he warned.
Gehlot also flagged concerns over air pollution, saying the hills and forests of the Aravallis acted as the "lungs" of the National Capital Region by checking dust storms and absorbing pollutants.
"When pollution levels are so alarming even with the Aravalli standing, one can imagine how disastrous the situation will be without it," he said.
Highlighting the water crisis, the former chief minister said the rocky terrain of the Aravallis played a crucial role in groundwater recharge by channelising rainwater underground.
"If the hills are destroyed, drinking water shortages will intensify, wildlife will disappear and the entire ecology will be pushed into danger," he said.
Gehlot argued that, from a scientific perspective, the Aravallis was a continuous chain and that even smaller hillocks were as vital as higher peaks.
