Mangaluru: The Dakshina Kannada Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation Committee will help physically challenged and sexuality minority voters to exercise their franchise in the Assembly elections, said M.R. Ravi, chairman of the committee and chief executive officer of Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat.

He told reporters on Monday that physically challenged voters would be provided with transportation facility to reach polling stations and go back home.

Similarly, the committee was making efforts to create awareness among sexual minority voters not to stay away from voting. A meeting of sexual minorities has been convened in the city on Tuesday to motivate them to vote. It is estimated that of about 1,200 sexual minorities in the district there could be 250 voters.

Mr. Ravi said there are 9,289 physically challenged voters in the district. The committee will also focus on endosulfan victim voters to ensure that they got all help, he said.

The Election Commission has taken a special interest in helping physically challenged voters to vote. “It is a significant step and a humane measure,” he said, adding that it showed the human side of the decision of the commission.

He said a voting analysis of the 2013 Assembly elections reveals that Mangaluru City South constituency recorded only 65% voting, the least in the district. Hence, the committee will take a special care to create awareness in the constituency.

Mr. Ravi said social media would be widely used to create awareness on the need to vote. Two inspirational movies of 30 seconds each would be made for circulating on social media. In addition, a short film of two minutes duration would be made. They are targeted at youth, sexual minorities and the physically challenged to make them vote.

He said doctors would be asked to give prescription slips to patients with a slogan on them reminding people to vote. A poets’ meet also will be organised on the theme of voting.