TN chief electoral officer urged to facilitate postal votes for inmates of aged homes

SALEM: Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of all Types of Differently Abled and Caregivers (TARADAC) general secretary B Jansirani has appealed to chief electoral officer (CEO) Satyabrata Sahoo to facilitate postal votes for disabled and elderly individuals living in orphanages and elderly homes.

Jansirani said thousands of people are living in such homes in the state and it would be beneficial for them to have the opportunity to exercise their democratic rights through postal votes.

She said there are several private homes operating in the state without proper registration. Both disabled abled and elderly individuals residing in them. District administrations have claimed to have no documents on the residents of these homes. “The Election Commission of India (ECI) should take necessary action to ensure that their democratic rights are upheld,” she said.

During the 2019 general Lok Sabha election, the ECI implemented a special arrangement for the permanent inmates of the Institute Mental Health in Kilpauk, Chennai, to exercise their voting rights. This initiative received appreciation from all sides. "During the upcoming LS election, a similar special arrangement with the postal ballot system should be implemented for the disabled and the elderly individuals living in such homes across the state," she said.