Karwar: The information related to elections is being provided to blind voters in braille script and 576 wheelchairs have been arranged in the polling booths to facilitate the disabled to exercise their franchise on the voting day, Deputy Commissioner S S Nakul said.

Briefing reporters, at his office on Saturday, he said Uttara Kannada was the first district to make such arrangements in the entire State. 

Ramps provided

He said as per the supplementary voters’ list published on April 24 the district has 11.45 lakh voters. Ramps are being arranged for the disabled in the polling booths. Priority would be given to appointing disabled officers to model polling booths, he added.

Each assembly constituency has been provided with 20% additional control units, ballot units and 30% additional VVPAT devices. They are being set with the help of BEL technical team. This process has been already completed in Karwar, Haliyal and Kumta.

Wireless connections

One additional personnel is being appointed to the polling booth due to the use of VVPAT for the first time. Therefore, each polling booth required five personnel. Thus, 30% of additional personnel, including 240 micro observers have been appointed, he informed.

The Deputy Commissioner said 92 polling booths are in the non-mobile coverage area. Most of them were connected with wireless connections.

Remaining booths would be appointed with two runners each. Of them one would be in the polling booth premises while the other would be stationed in mobile network coverage area, he said.