Voting wasn’t easy for Nepalis with disabilities
Summary
Many Nepalis with disabilities faced significant challenges while voting in the recent parliamentary elections, overcoming physical and infrastructural barriers despite constitutional guarantees for equal participation.
Key Points
- About 2.2 percent of Nepal's population lives with disabilities, but many face challenges voting due to inaccessible polling stations and lack of independent voting mechanisms.
- Visually impaired voter Jaldeep Sapkota reported improvements but highlighted issues like crowded spaces and high voting tables that hinder accessibility.
- Polling officials attempted to prioritize and assist disabled voters but were constrained by limited space and infrastructure at polling centers.
- Disability rights advocates stress the need for alternative voting systems such as electronic voting machines and postal voting to ensure independent and confidential voting rights.
