Polling gets festive hue at pink booths
Had selfie points, crèche, arrangements to assist pregnant women and physically challenged
AMRITSAR: The pink polling booths managed exclusively by women staff were a big hit as they gave a festive look to the democratic process and perked up the voters’ mood. The election commission had set up 117 such polling booths across the state — one in each assembly segment — where from polling staff to security personnel all were women.
The pink polling booth at Khalsa College of Education in Ranjit Avenue, which falls under the Amritsar North assembly constituency, was decorated with balloons and ‘rangolis’. There were selfie points, crèche, special arrangements to assist pregnant women and physically challenged.
“As I entered Khalsa College of Education, I was pleasantly surprised seeing all decked up polling booth. There were only women on the job and they were dressed in pink. This step of the election commission will certainly increase the women’s participation in voting,” said Isha Kapoor, 61, a retired teacher.
Another voter, Dr Asha Singh, 70, said, “It was a good experience. Such booths should be set up in every election to encourage women voters.”
“We give chocolates and toys to kids when their parents cast their vote. We are getting good response from the voters,” said Kanwaljit Kaur, an anganwadi worker, in-charge of the crèche at the Khalsa College.
Girl students were deployed at the booths to help elderly and disabled voters. “We are feeling proud to be a part of the election process by lending a helping hand,” said one of the three girl students, Gursimran Kaur, 16, deployed at the polling booth.
Presiding officer at another Pink booth — booth number 93 at Dashmesh Sainik Public School near Kot Khalsa — Khushpreet Kaur said, “This is the first time that I am working as a presiding officer. The initiative of the election commission will not only empower women like me, but also increase voters’ participation.”
She said, “We are getting very positive response, especially from women voters and firsttime voters. I feel that 50% of the total polling stations in the country should be turned into pink booths. It will encourage women voters to cast their vote.”
Assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Gurmeet Kaur, who was deployed as a security officer at the polling booth, said, “Unlike the scene at other polling stations where people come and go, electors spent time here taking selfies.”
There were nine pink polling stations in Amritsar Lok Sabha constituency.