First time in Bihar election only women on polling booth

Janjivan Bureau
New Delhi : “We could not cast our votes as par our wishes. We were forced to cast our votes as par directions given to us by males of our family.” It is a common complaint of women voters. In a male dominated society were they considered to more dextrous to control stressed situation particularly when is related to polling but this time in some polling booths, voters will find scene of stations entirely different contrary to what they usually find in elections of state.
The Election Commission of India (EC) has approved and appreciated a unique experiment that has been initiated in Bihar by the Gaya district administration towards women empowerment.
In a first of its kind in Bihar, the Gaya district administration will have seven polling stations in Gaya town fully managed and administered by women staff. Except the voters, right from the polling returning officer to security personnel – all will be women on 16 October – the day of the second phase of polling.
Unlike other states, Bihar doesn’t have women officials on election duty, but this assembly election the District Magistrate, Gaya, Sanjay Kumar Agarwal has taken this initiative and a proposal was sent to the EC. The aim of the initiative is to break this stigma that women can’t participate in polling process, said a source of EC who is familiar to the development.
The district administration has also discussed with Bihar Police and Central security forces to provide women police constables and officials to guard the polling booths.
The district administration has identified seven polling stations at Mahavir Inter College and Madhya Vidyalaya in Gaya town, which will act as model polling stations, with special facilities like supply of drinking water, overhead sheds and sitting arrangement for the voters. To encourage the right to vote, the first-time voters will be felicitated with certificates.
The district administration has picked up 50 such women for the job. Gaya is one of the highly sensitive districts of Bihar due to the active presence of the Naxals, who have already given a poll boycott call. Intensive training is being provided to all women who will hold responsibilities in election days.