PANAJI
In a bid to boost women's participation in the electioneering process, Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra on Wednesday said that out of the 1,722 polling stations in the coastal state, 100 would be managed exclusively by women during the ensuing state assembly polls.
Addressing a press conference in Panaji, Chandra also said that the Election Commission of India was committed to its objective of ensuring maximum participation of women voters, new voters, disabled voters and senior citizens in the polling process.
"Around 100 polling stations will be managed only by women to boost women participation so that they can feel empowered and come with confidence. This is the first time such a large number of polling stations are managed by women," Chandra said.
"Our endeavour is to ensure participation of maximum voters including new voters, women voters and disabled voters and senior citizens," he added.
Chandra also said that "four to five" polling stations in the state would be managed by people with disabilities (PwD), while adding that 491 divyang mitras would also be appointed to assist PwDs during voting.
"Along with that four to five (polling stations) will be managed by PwDs (persons with disabilities). 491 divyang mitras will be appointed among government officials to guide the divyang voters and they will make awareness to those persons," he said, adding that there were around 9,000 PwD voters, 30000 voters who are 80 years plus and 298 service voters in the state.
"The total number of voters is going to be 11.5 lakh as on date the final number will be published when the exercise is completed and the roll is published on January 5," Chandra further said.
The CEC also said that the maximum number of voters per polling booth had been slashed from 1,500 to 1,000, which he said had resulted in adding more polling stations in the Commission's roster.
Chandra also said that more than 30,000 new voters had been added to the state's voter list, while adding that poll officials had been directed to identify pockets where voter turn-out has been traditionally low and create awareness about the importance of elections in these areas.
"However, the Commissioner has decided to direct the CEO and DEOs to identify low voter turn-out pockets to ensure an inclusive and participative elections so that our BLOs can go (to these pockets) and tell them about their rights, tell them about the various policies of the ECI and motivate them to cast their vote," he said.
