Meeting held between Chairman Humanity Welfare Organization and Chief election Officer on 10th August 2018

Chairperson Humanity Welfare Organization HELPline NGO on 10/08/2018 met Chief Election Officer J&K Shree Shaleen Kabra and discussed important points for ensuring accessible elections in J&K. These points include:

Access to polling booths
Support mechanism for voter with high support needs
Genuine needs of voters with blindness
Filling communication gaps for voters with hearing and speech disabilities
Accessible election material including election notifications.
Accessible election manifesto copies of all parties and individuals
Election icons in disability
Awareness at constituency levels.
National partners demands prepared by Samitha regarding meeting held in election commission at central level in national consultation
Collection of data of voters with disabilities at constituency level

Mr Shaleen Kabra immediately notified an advisory that all election booths should be put on ground floor on priority basis.

Later the team from Humanity Welfare Organization Helpline on the instructions of Chief Election Officer Shree Shaleen Kabra held a brief meeting with personal Assistant to Chief Election Officer and discussed various issues with him as well. He after listening to all issues assured the team that in future people with various disabilities will be involved in all strategies of accessible elections in J&K state where ever possible. He also assured that various organizations working in the disability sector will be involved in future activities and strategies. He assured that in future people with disabilities will be given full representation and said that their department is committed to make all polling stations disable friendly. While concluding the meeting it was decided that in next few weeks another meeting will be held and all the above mentioned points will be discussed again, so that all the issues of people with disabilities will be redressed on priority basis.

While expressing its happiness in meeting with Chairman Humanity Welfare Organization Helpline PA to Chief Election Officer hoped that this meeting will pay way towards making the state of J&K a child friendly state by providing disable friendly structure and environment in all polling stations. He assured that they will remain in touch of Humanity Welfare Organization Helpline and will involve them in all future programs and discussions related to disable persons.