Polling stations in Coimbatore, Pollachi equipped to support people with disabilities

Polling stations in Coimbatore, Pollachi equipped to support people with disabilities

The polling stations in Coimbatore and Pollachi constituencies had wheelchairs, assistants, and ramps to support people with disabilities cast their votes on Friday.

“I assisted two elderly voters from morning,” said M. Kuppusamy, a wheelchair assistant at a polling station in Pollachi.

In Ramanathapuram in Coimbatore city, 86-year-old Muthammal was helped by her grandson to cast her vote as she found it difficult to walk or see properly because of age.

“Will I get (old age) pension support,” she asked. Her grandson said there was no pick up facility for such elderly voters. There was a voluntary organisation that used to help us transport my grandmother to the polling station. But, this year, they said they were not extending the service. The election officials did not extend any information about postal vote available for senior citizens, he said.

Subramaniam (85) was accompanied by his grand daughter Narmadha to cast his vote at Venkitapuram in Coimbatore Parliamentary constituency. He was visually impaired due to age and had cast his vote by remembering the order of the political party in the electronic voting machine.

At Pallapalayam in Sulur Assembly segment, 77-year-old Shanmugham said he was casting his vote for almost 12 MP elections. “I had voted when Nehru was elected the Prime Minister,” he claimed. “I used to work in a textile mill. My movement is restricted because I suffered a stroke. I vote for my ideology,” he said.

N. Valliyammal (92), a resident of Siluvampalayam, came with her son N. Venkatesh to cast her vote at the polling booth in the village. “I never missed voting. I cast my vote for over 10 elections,” she added. Mr. Venkatesh said, “my mother wished to cast her at the polling booth. So I brought her and fulfilled her wish,” he added.