Voters’ lasting impression of pink, model polling booths
HEALTHY DEMOCRACY Pink booths were manned by only women, while ‘adarsh’ booths had facilities such as drinking water, ramps, wheelchair and selfie points
KARNAL/HISAR: Specially decorated ‘pink’ or ‘sakhi’ and ‘adarsh’ (model) polling booths remained the centre of attraction on the polling day across the state as the voters got an unexpected warm welcome when they arrived there to exercise their franchise.
The ‘sakhi’ (pink) booths were manned by all women employees, including security officials, while ‘adarsh’ booths had facilities like drinking water, ramps, wheelchair and selfie points for the voters.
Every district had set up these booths, much to the delight of the voters.
At least seven ‘pink’ booths and 13 ‘adarsh’ booths were set up in Karnal, the segment where chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar is contesting from.
Also, as many as 10 booths, two each in every assembly segment of Karnal district, were set up for the differently able people. Wheelchairs were provided by the volunteers to assist the voters who were unable to walk.
As per the information, 26 adarsh and pink booths were set up in Panipat, eight each in Kurukhetra and Yamunanagar districts and four in Kaithal district.
Panipat returning officer Sumedha Kataria said pink booths were set up to disseminate the message of women empowerment.
“With the help of local volunteers, the administration also tried to tell people about the importance of participation in electoral process of all people, especially those who hesitate to cast their vote,” she added.
At Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agriculture University (CCSHAU), Hisar, the path leading to the booth was covered with a ‘red-carpet’, rangoli decoration, a selfie point besides seating arrangements under a red colour tent.
Hisar deputy commissioner Ashok Kumar Meena said there were 21 pink polling booths with extra facilities for the voters in the district having facilities such as wheelchair for elders and balloons for the children accompanying their mothers.
Raina, a student of Kurukshetra University, said, “I felt like a super star while walking on the red carpet and the women staff greeted voters with utmost courtesy.”
Sushma Devi was a little worried when she came at the polling station with her two-yearold child. “The women staff took complete care of my child and it took only few minutes to cast my vote in this polling booth,” she said.