50 visually impaired people have issued cards. Tashi Tobgyal 50 visually impaired people have issued cards. Tashi Tobgyal

It was a bittersweet moment for the family of a visually impaired girl from East Delhi who received a braille voter ID card Thursday. Kavita Kumar (19) was one of the 50 visually impaired people from the area, including a few first time voters, who collected the card from Chief Electoral Officer Ranbir Singh at an event at Kashmere Gate.

Amidst the celebrations aimed at increasing election participation of persons with disabilities, Kavita’s father Rajinder (52) broke down. “We have been turned away by every school we approached for her admission,” he said.

The school that Kavita last studied in did not have proper facilities to support visually impaired people, the father alleged.

Kavita, who was unable to find an institute that would help her study after Class IX, wants her elected representative to do something about access to education for people with disabilities.

“This is the first time I will be voting… I don’t know enough about it,” she added.

There are 5,128 voters with disabilities in East Delhi, out of which 276 are visually impaired. Election officials said the new card would help improve their participation and may also inspire those unfamiliar with braille to learn it. CEO Singh said differently abled people would be provided facilities, including pick-up and drop from their homes to the polling booths.

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