The election body of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has formed a sub-committee to cater to the needs of persons with disabilities (PwD) in the ongoing election process. Arrangements to accept questions in Braille format and a digital voting system for visually impaired students are among the steps taken to address the concerns of PwD students, according to the poll body's statement today, March 20.
This move comes after a delegation of differently-abled students of the university met Shailendra Kumar, Chairperson of the JNUSU (Jawaharlal Nehru University Student Union) election committee, on March 19 to raise concerns regarding the inaccessibility of PwD voters in the polling process, PTI reported.
A notification released by the poll body read, "The delegation stated a few concerns and made some suggestions to make the election process more accessible. The Election Committee recognises these concerns and is committed to making the entire process more inclusive and accessible for all.”
According to the notice, a member of the poll body has been assigned to assist differently-abled students in submitting their questions for the candidates during the University Governing Body Meeting (UGBM) and presidential debate tonight, March 20. A separate area at the left side of the stage in the Jhelum Lawn on campus has been reserved for the PwD voters, the notice added.
Further, the committee has also made arrangements to accept questions in Braille format. For visually impaired students, there will be arrangements for a digital voting system, the notification stated. The Instagram page of the election committee will be used to convey all the official notifications in an accessible format, it added.
