After the General Election 2019, Delhi will have to buy its own wheelchairs to facilitate Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) exercising their rights to vote, with the supplier Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO) stating that this would be the last time they will provide the wheelchair services free of cost.
While ALIMCO was reluctant to supply the chairs, stating that they are “unable to provide wheelchairs free of cost for the General Election 2019 and that the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has to purchase the wheelchairs, a truce was arrived at when the CEO said that they shall make their own arrangements from the next election”.
The CEO said the purchase will be made after taking approval from the competent authority. However, with the polls ahead, the ALIMCO shall provide 3,000 wheelchairs free of cost this time.
It was also suggested that the services of volunteers from the University of Delhi, the Directorate of Education and GGSIP University could be utilised for safe and smooth handling of wheelchairs and facilitating the PwDs during this General Elections. The volunteers will be trained, sensitising them for safe and proper use of wheelchairs, for facilitating the persons with disabilities in casting their votes.
Meanwhile, Delhi also directed the Directorate of Education and Department of Social Welfare for moving a proposal for procurement of enough number of wheelchairs to be used for their own use in their institutions and for their deployment in future elections in the city.
The Directorate of Education shall provide a list comprising two students of Class XII (2019-20 session) from each of its schools. GGSIP University shall provide a list of 1,200 students. The University of Delhi will provide 1,200 students and 6,000 NCC cadets (Junior Wing) for utilising their services as volunteers in the polls.
The list will have equal number of male and female volunteers as far as possible.