In model booths, teddies for first-time female voters

GOA VOTES TODAY

AT THE Chief Electoral Office in Altinho, an Excel sheet is being pulled out to account for 327 pink teddy bears. It’s the first time an inventory “like this” is being listed in the polling office.

In Goa, with 1,1,10,884 voters expected to vote across 40 Assembly constituencies on Saturday, and the electoral office hoping for a five per cent increase in total turnout, these pink toys purchased from a wholesaler in Delhi are among the “many firsts” to ensure maximum voter participation. The state saw an 83 per cent voter turnout last time.

One booth in every constituency, attended by women staffers, has been marked as “model booth” and it will hand out a pink teddy bear to every first-time female voter who votes there. The state has 32,354 firsttime voters — this includes 18,172 female voters. The electoral office has mapped details of 327 of the 18,172 voters who will walk into these 40 model booths. “We have also requested our staff in these model booths to dress in pink if possible,” says Kunal, Chief Electoral Officer, Goa.

Of the 251 candidates this year, only 19 are women.

While the initiative has already evoked mixed reactions, with certain sections in Goa calling the teddy bear decision “sexist” and AAP supporters terming it “wasteful expenditure”, Kunal says it is a “token” of gratitude, and the electoral office’s way of expressing support to women empowerment. “We understand it is an egalitarian society, but symbols stand out,” he says, adding that balloons will also be brought out, and the booths will see a temporary paint job in pink as well.

Three months ago, when meetings were in full swing on making the polling day an “event”, many colors were thrown on the table. Shakti was one theme, and red was the obvious choice. “It would have been too strong. Not very welcoming. Then I saw my daughter. She is eight and her world has only two colours, pink and purple. Everything is pink,” says Kunal.

Vivek Gogoi, IG, Goa police, who is at the poll office to discuss security protocol says, “When my daughter read about this on Facebook, she asked me if it was real. When I said yes, she said great. She felt connected.”

In 2012, 4,32,085 female voters got their fingers inked, with 82855 registered voters not voting.

Another symbolic decision is to have Poll Booth Number 1 at Panaji, the state’s capital attended by people who are differently abled. “We have also identified the differently abled voters and we will be sending vehicles to pick them and drop them after they cast their vote,” says Kunal.

About 2,757 voters have been identified as people with disability who need assistance, and 282 as blind persons.

Another first is the use of Electronic Transferable Postal Ballot System, which will see the department sending 831 ballot forms online to Goan Service personnel spread across the country, including the ones in Air Force, Navy, Army and other security wings.

The office, meanwhile, is gearing up for the polling across 1642 polling stations in 881 rural and 254 urban locations.

Getting the voter to come out on a weekend and vote is the final step in the extensive voter empowerment programme the department has run for over a year. “Slogan competitions, street plays, rallies and even workshops. Everything has gone into this,” says Kunal.

The total expenditure has already touched Rs 40 crore with every penny accounted for, he adds.

The election will be monitored by flying squads, quick response teams, expenditure monitoring groups, video surveillance teams and the state police.