Panaji: November 11, 2025:: The State Steering Committee on Accessible Elections held a meeting under the chairpersonship of the Chief Electoral Officer to review past performance and for ensuring accessible, inclusive and participative elections in future in the State, as well as to brief members on the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls.
The Chief Electoral Officer emphasized on strengthening electoral inclusion through the theme “Accessible Elections” ensuring that every eligible voter, including Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), senior citizens, and marginalized groups, can participate in the electoral process with case and dignity. Shri Sudesh Gaude. Asst Professor, IPIIB and Nodal Officer for Accessible Elections gave a sneak preview about the participation of Persons with Disabilities in the electoral process during the Lok Sabha Elections, 2024, and all the measures taken by the CEO, Goa to ensure inclusive elections.
The Committee discussed key measures being undertaken, includes identification and tagging of PwD voters across all constituencies, ensuring accessibility infrastructure at polling stations ramps, PwD toilets, wheelchairs. and Braille-enabled facilities, training and sensitizing of polling personnel especially BLOs, dissemination of voter awareness materials in accessible formats (audio-visual with sign language interpreter. Braille etc.), coordination among departments such as Social Welfare, Education, Public Works Department and Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities to facilitate barrier-free polling arrangements.
The Chief Electoral Officer also briefed the Committee on the Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls with reference to January 01, 2026 as the qualifying date. This exercise aims to ensure that the electoral rolls of the State are accurate, inclusive, and updated, enabling every eligible citizen of Goa to participate in the democratic process. He informed that all Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have been instructed to conduct house-to-house verification to ensure the accuracy of entries and to provide necessary assistance to electors, especially PwDs and senior citizens. The CEO urged all stakeholders to actively support the SIR and the voter enrolment verification process through awareness particularly amongst the PwD electors.
