57 leprosy patients likely to cast votes for first time in Jharkhand's Jamtara

Ranchi, Nov 19 (PTI) As many as 57 people afflicted with leprosy are expected to exercise their franchise for the first time on Wednesday in the assembly polls in Jharkhand’s Jamtara district, an election official said.
    A dedicated booth, decorated with confetti, has been set up for them at Snehpur Community Building in Mihijam.
    Booth Level Officer Ujjwal Kumar Mahto said that those 57 voters reside near the polling booth at Snehpur leprosy colony in Mihijam.
    “There are 31 male and 26 female voters. This is for the first time when a dedicated booth was set up for them under the ‘no voter to be left behind’ motto of the Election Commission,” he told PTI.
    Mahto added that they have decorated the booths with balloons and all basic facilities such as a ramp, wheelchair and drinking water have been ensured for them.
    To a question, he said, "It is the first organised effort to bring these people to the polling booth. We have also approached them and urged them to cast their votes."

    The booth falls under the Jamtara assembly constituency, which is among the 38 seats that are going to polls in the second and final round of the elections on Wednesday.
    A total of 14,218 polling stations have been set up in both rural and urban areas for the second and final phase of the Jharkhand assembly elections.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)