SRINAGAR: With parliamentary elections for the Srinagar segment scheduled for Monday, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Jammu and Kashmir, Pandurang K Pole, announced on Friday the establishment of 18 polling booths in the Srinagar Parliamentary Constituency as ‘Pink Polling Stations’ exclusively for women, managed entirely by females.
The CEO of JK stated that to encourage female voters to cast their votes, they have set up ‘Pink Polling Stations’ where the entire management will be handled by women.
He mentioned that these specially designated polling stations will be staffed solely by women, from the polling party and polling party agents to security personnel.
The initiative aims to provide a safe and comfortable environment for female voters. In addition to the Pink Polling Stations, practical measures have been implemented to facilitate women’s participation, with each polling station having a female helper – an Asha or Anganwadi worker – to assist female voters throughout the electoral process.
Moreover, separate queues and other facilities will be provided to meet the specific needs of female voters at all polling stations.
The CEO highlighted that this initiative demonstrates the commitment of electoral authorities to foster an inclusive and equitable democratic process. By prioritising the needs and concerns of female voters, the ‘Pink Polling Booths’ aim to amplify their voices and ensure their active participation in shaping the future of their constituency.
Regarding the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), Pole stated that any reported violations were promptly addressed through written communication to the concerned candidates and political parties, emphasising the importance of compliance with MCC guidelines to ensure a fair and orderly electoral process.
He mentioned, “Apart from a few instances of minor MCC violations, no major violations have been reported that could have caused problems. And if there were any, we communicated them in writing to both political parties and the candidates.”
Regarding the percentage of voter turnout, the CEO of JK, refraining from making predictions, urged people to participate in the electoral process on the upcoming polling dates in Jammu and Kashmir.”
