DEHRA DUN: Paving way for the visually impaired to have a decisive role in the country's democratic process, the Election Commission is encouraging use of EVMs having braille signs here in Uttarakhand where polling is on to elect the state's third Assembly.
Unlike the 2007 elections when only braille EVMs were introduced, these multi-purpose machines can be used both by visually-challenged and normal persons alike.
With this, it has now become possible for the literate visually challenged persons to cast their votes without any help.
Pooja Chaudhary (20), a visually impaired student pursuing a computer course at National Institute for Visually Handicapped (NIVH), exercised her franchise for the first time using the EVM having braille signs.
Despite facing a little bit difficulty in casting the vote, an elated Pooja said "I did not get any training about using the EVM having signs of candidates contesting. But eventually, I was able to cast my vote. I am very happy."
Apart from Pooja, as many as 25 other visually challenged voters also exercised their franchise using these EVMs at the polling booth constituted at NIVH.