Visually-challenged man’s papers for sarpanch rejected because he signed in Braille

A 40-year-old visually-challenged tribal man in Nuapara district of Odisha has moved the Orissa high court protesting against the rejection of his nomination papers for the post of sarpanch on the ground that he had used Braille script to sign the papers, instead of Odia language.

Shantilal Sabar, a resident of Dabripada village under Gandamer grampanchayat of Komna block in Nuapada district filed his nomination papers for the post of sarpanch in the forthcoming panchayat polls scheduled to be held next month. However, during the scrutiny of papers, the block development officer (BDO) rejected his nomination stating he was unable to read and write Odia language, as required under the Orissa Grama Panchayat Act to contest the polls.

A livid Sabar said while he could pass the matric examination conducted by the Odisha Board of Secondary Education using Braille script, it was inexplicable why the returning officer for the panchayat polls was rejecting his papers.

“Braille is an internationally accepted language for visually impaired persons. In the examinations, we are given helper writers during examinations. But we can read and write Odia using Braille script. By rejecting my nomination, the government will discourage visually-challenged candidates from participating in panchayat polls,” he said.

In Nuapara district, 732 persons filed nomination for the post of sarpanch of which papers of 28 candidates including Sabar were rejected on several grounds.

Election to the three-tier panchayatiraj bodies in Odisha are scheduled to be held between February 16 and 24 for 853 zilla parishad seats, 91,916 wards and 6,794 gram panchayats.

Nuapara sub-collector Taranisen Naik said the rejection of Sabar’s papers should not be seen merely on the grounds of inability to read and write in Odia, but in totality.

“A sarpanch is expected to deal with people’s grievances over several allowances including old age allowance, PDS rice and many other government schemes. The letters of people would not be in Braille script. So how would a visually-challenged person function,” he asked.

Odisha Bikalanga Mahasangha, an association that espouses the cause of visually-challenged persons, said the rejection will send a wrong message to the visually-challenged persons.

“If visually-challenged persons can work as state administrative service officers, lecturers and school teachers in our state, what stops them from becoming sarpanch or holding political posts. The government can surely amend the Odisha Grampanchayat Act to let the visually-challenged candidates participate in the polls,” said Niranjan Behera, president of the Mahasangh.

Sabar, who is a keen player of chess and sells products like phenyl, candle and chalk through a self-help group, said he expects the high court to take up his case quickly and allow him to participate in the panchayat polls.

While Sabar’s nomination papers were rejected, many other physically-challenged persons are in the fray in the panchayat polls. Parameshwar Mallick, who was born without arms, has filed nomination for the post of Ward member from Ward No-4 of Mangalpur Grampanchayat under Tihidi block in Bhadrak district. Mallick has promised to take up issues like all-weather road, tubewell, pucca houses and old age allowance for people of his area.