The Parliament has approved an amendment to the General Elections Act, enabling visually impaired individuals to vote independently without assistance.
The bill received unanimous approval from the 51 participating members in the vote.
The amendment, submitted by Hinnavaru MP Jeehan Mahmood on behalf of the government, includes provisions that enable individuals with visual impairments to use a specially designed ballot paper template if they prefer to mark their ballots without assistance.
The amendment includes guidelines specifying the conditions under which the template can be used, along with the corresponding procedures that need to be followed.
The template, made of transparent plastic material, can be either inserted into the ballot paper or temporarily attached to its surface.
The plastic template includes a precisely positioned cut outs that aligns with the desired voting cell, enabling blind voters to make their selections independently.
Blind and visually impaired individuals have voiced their concerns about the lack of secrecy in the voting process. In response, the Blind and Visually Impaired Society of Maldives has actively engaged with institutions and the Parliament's independent Committees to advocate for reforms addressing this issue.
Sign In
