- As a progressive initiative, ECI for the first time in a Lok Sabha election, has provided the facility of home voting for elderly citizens above 85 years of age and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) with a 40% benchmark disability.
- The initiative will help in ensuring an equitable, approachable and inclusive electoral process.
- This initiative marks a significant stride towards ensuring inclusivity and accessibility of the electoral process and in bolstering democratic participation.
- There are over 81 lakhs 85+ aged voters and 90 lakhs + PwD voters registered across the country.
OTHER STEPS TAKEN BY ECI:
Systematic Voter’s Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) :
- The primary goal is to build a truly participative democracy in India by encouraging all eligible citizens to vote and make an informed decision during the elections.
VOTER VERIFIED PAPER AUDIT TRAIL (VVPAT)
- VVPAT is an independent system attached with EVM that allows the voters to verify that their votes are cast as intended.
- When a vote is cast, a slip is printed containing the serial number, name and symbol of the candidate and remains exposed through a transparent window for 7 seconds.
- Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail with EVM was used for the first time in the by-election to Noksen Assembly Constituency of Nagaland in 2013.
cVIGIL App:
- cVIGIL is a mobile application developed by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to enable citizens to report violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) during elections.