There is no dearth of promises for the disabled in the manifestos of both the Congress and BJP. But if the data on the proportion of the disabled who have been issued disability certificates is any indication, they need all the help they can get — starting with the basics. A mere 38% of those identified as disabled in Census 2011 have been issued certificates, the basic document needed to access everything — from education and healthcare to job reservation and all manner of welfare schemes.

A Polling officer at Kovilpathu Municipal elementary school in Nagapattinam district was shifted from duty following a complaint by a political party that he cast votes of visually impaired people against their preference, officials said.

Rajendran was shifted on a complaint from Manitha Neya Makkal Katchi that the officer, under the guise of helping the visually impaired, cast the votes to a particular candidate and not the one preferred by the voters.

Aother officer was posted in his place, they said.

 
When an electoral system structurally discriminates against particular categories such as persons with disabilities, it is tantamount to a failure of the democracy as a whole.
 
The citizens of India are in the process of casting their votes in what is being widely hailed as the largest election in human history. By sheer size, the 16th Lok Sabha elections signal a triumph not only for India, but for democratic exercises around the world.