Most of the polling stations in the district are located in schools. The polling stations have not been made disability-friendly due to the poor condition of the roads leading to the polling stations.
What you should know
There are 117 polling stations and 205 polling stations in Salyan for the February 21 House of Representatives elections. Although most polling stations have recently been made accessible by roads, they have not been made accessible to the disabled.
Most of the polling stations in the district are in schools. Due to the poor condition of the road leading to the polling stations, the polling stations have not been made disabled-friendly.
The number of disabled people in the district is currently over 7,000. Of these, only 4,000 are voters with disabilities in categories A and B. The disabled in categories A and B are facing even more problems due to the lack of disability-friendly polling stations.
Due to geographical remoteness and poor road conditions, it is still difficult for men and women with disabilities to reach the polling stations and polling stations. Due to this, the disabled and disabled are unable to vote alone and in wheelchairs. They have had to face various kinds of hardships in order to vote.
The Human Rights Defenders Network Salyan has demanded that those who are in trouble due to the lack of a smooth road and stairs to enter the polling station, so that they do not have to be deprived of their right to vote and that they can vote easily.
Krishna Budhathoki, President of the Welfare Association of the Disabled, Salyan, said that the polling station and polling station are not friendly to the disabled due to the lack of a smooth road and the lack of other arrangements for entering the polling station. He said that even if a vehicle is accessible, the polling station is not disabled-friendly. ‘Many polling stations and polling stations have a road that is accessible to vehicles.’ Since the road is not smooth, it is not possible to go alone in a wheelchair. There is no proper arrangement for the disabled and the disabled to sit, water, and toilets. How can it be disabled-friendly,’ he said. He said that despite making demands to the relevant bodies to make polling stations and polling stations disabled-friendly in every election, there has been no hearing.
Tek Bahadur Chalaune, secretary of the Welfare Association for the Disabled, Salyan, said that the election office has always emphasized only on conducting elections in a peaceful and safe environment and has not been able to make polling stations and polling stations disabled-friendly. He said that it is very difficult to go to vote during elections due to the lack of disabled-friendly facilities.
According to him, most of the polling stations and polling stations in the district are in schools. The problem has arisen because the school buildings built in traditional and modern styles are not disabled-friendly. ‘One of my legs does not work, so I cannot walk anywhere. I can easily go outside the polling station by riding a four-wheeled scooter, but I need a companion to go inside due to the narrow roads and stairs,’ he said. ‘It is not much of a problem for ordinary people, but it is very difficult for those with multiple disabilities.’
Toklal Khadka, 60, from Kajeri, Sharada Municipality-7, who has a category A disability, said that he has been relying on others to vote because the polling station at Kalima Secondary School, which is half an hour away, does not have a good road. He said that he has not voted many times because there are problems in coming and going. 'If you can reach the polling station, you do not have to wait in line, but there are many problems in coming and going,' he said.
There are two polling stations in Nigalchula, Kupinde Municipality-12, Bangad, but both are not disabled-friendly, said Ward Chairman Lal Bahadur Gharti. He said that the disabled and disabled always have to be carried by their relatives.
Chief District Officer Mahendra Kumar Sapkota said that most of the 117 polling stations and 205 polling stations are sensitive and are being monitored for security reasons. He said that efforts are also being made to make the polling stations friendly to the disabled, the disabled, and the elderly. He said that the municipality has been requested to help make the road leading to the polling station passable, and to arrange drinking water and toilets. He said that even if a separate polling station cannot be arranged for the disabled and the elderly, they will not have to wait in line for a long time.
