Total Population
Population with a disability
according to World Health Organization’s 15% estimateRatified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Section 25 states:
(1) If an elector is unable through illiteracy, blindness or other physical infirmity to record his vote on a postal ballot paper and sign the declaration, he shall take the ballot paper, together with declaration and the covers required by him to an officer competent to attest his signature…and request the officer to record his vote and sign his declaration on his behalf.
(2) Such officer shall thereupon mark the ballot paper in accordance with the wishes of the elector in his presence, sign the declaration on his behalf and complete the appropriate certificate contained in Form 13A.
Section 40, subsection 1 states:
If the presiding officer is satisfied that owing to blindness or other physical infirmity an elector is unable to recognize the symbols on the ballot paper or to make a mark thereon without assistance, the presiding officer shall permit the elector to take with him a companion of not less than eighteen years of age to the voting compartment for recording the vote on the ballot paper on his behalf and in accordance with his wishes, and, if necessary, for folding the ballot paper so as to conceal the vote and inserting it into the ballot box: Providing that no person shall be permitted to act as the companion of more than one elector at any polling station on the same day: Provided further that before any person is permitted to act as the companion of an elector on any day under this rule, the person shall be required to declare that he will keep secret the vote recorded by him.
Rule 49D states:
The presiding officer shall regulate the number of electors, to be admitted at any one time inside the polling station and shall exclude therefrom all persons other than...
(f) a person accompanying a blind or infirm elector who cannot move without help...
Rule 49N, subsection 1 states:
If the presiding officer is satisfied that owing to blindness or other physical infirmity an elector is unable to recognize the symbols on the ballot paper or to make a mark thereon without assistance, the presiding officer shall permit the elector to take with him a companion of not less than eighteen years of age to the voting compartment for recording the vote on the ballot paper on his behalf and in accordance with his wishes, and, if necessary, for folding the ballot paper so as to conceal the vote and inserting it into the ballot box: Providing that no person shall be permitted to act as the companion of more than one elector at any polling station on the same day: Provided further that before any person is permitted to act as the companion of an elector on any day under this rule, the person shall be required to declare that he will keep secret the vote recorded by him.
Rule 49P, subsection 4 states:
If owing blindness or physical infirmities, such elector is unable to record his vote without assistance; the presiding officer shall permit him to take with him a companion, subject to the same conditions and after following the same procedure as laid down in Rule 49 for recording the vote in accordance with his wishes.
Section 14 states:
The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India.
Section 19 states:
(1) If an elector is unable to read the ballot paper or to record his vote thereon in accordance with rule 17 by reason of illiteracy or blindness or, by not being conversant with the language in which the ballot papers are printed or, by reason of any physical or other disability, the presiding officer shall record the vote on the ballot paper in accordance with the wishes of the elector.
(2) The elector shall then himself or with the assistance of the presiding officer fold up the ballot paper so as to conceal his vote and insert it into the ballot box.
(3) While acting under this rule, the presiding officer shall observe as much secrecy as is feasible and shall keep a brief record of each such instance but shall not indicate therein the manner in which any vote has been cast.