Over the past few days, leaders of various parties such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, of the state Bharatiya Janata Party; As well as opponents Rahul Gandhi of the Indian National Congress; and Sitaram Yechury, of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), toured the country and led huge rallies of supporters.
With fiery speeches in defense of their candidates and party platforms, senior representatives of India's political factions appeared mainly in the cities of the twenty-one states participating in the first of the seven phases of the elections.
The demonstrations in India coincided with the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, to end the Ramadan fast, and with the Navaratri holiday, which Hindus celebrate annually in honor of the goddess Durga, which lasts nine and ten days.
In a recent circular, the Election Commission of India (ECI) confirmed the activation of voting on April 19 in 102 parliamentary constituencies, where 361 observers were also deployed.
The said inspectors will ensure the conditions of polling stations for voters, especially with regard to heat control, as well as ensuring that incentives are not provided, for optimal use of forces and strict maintenance of law and order. explained Rajiv Kumar, Chief Commissioner.
Regarding places considered sensitive such as Jammu and Kashmir and Udhampur, the Central Election Initiative announced measures to make it easier for migrants from those areas to vote, such as eliminating cumbersome procedures.
He also informed of the plan for these people to vote in temporary camps in private schools via electronic means.
Likewise, in its efforts to target elderly voters and persons with disabilities, the Election Commission of India, for the first time, has modified its procedures to provide them with the ability to vote from home.
Taking advantage of this advantage, voters in this category have already begun casting their votes in the first and second phases, on April 19 and 26 of the general elections.
The Electoral Commission said that this initiative represents an important step to ensure the inclusion and accessibility of the electoral process and enhance democratic participation.
With this move, ECI means it has taken another crucial step towards facilitating a more equitable and representative democracy, where the voice of every citizen matters, regardless of their physical limitations or age.
OMR/LRD
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