EC says all-women polling booths in Haryana are a success

Chandigarh: The Election Commission on Monday said the polling stations managed only by women to cater to the fair sex voters and encourage them to vote in the Assembly elections in Haryana were a success.

Pink booths manned only by women staff got an enormous response in major cities like Karnal, Panipat, Gurugram, Faridabad and Panchkula, a poll official told IANS here.

He said that eight pink booths in Gurugram were high in the polling percentage compared to the routine polling booths in the area.

The pink polling booths have only women staff, including presiding officers, polling officers, micro observers and security personnel.

The booth at every centre could be distinguished by its pink decor, including pink walls and table covers.

In Yamunanagar, four pink polling booths were established.

Under the Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation (SWEEP) Programme, women were made aware through self-help groups and Anganwadi workers about their right to exercise their franchise.

A total of 1,169 candidates, including 105 women, are in the fray. One candidate is a transgender.

There are 98.7 lakh men and 85.1 lakh women and 252 third gender voters.

The state set up 19,578 polling stations, using 27,611 voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPATs) machines.

The Congress is trying to woo the youth, farmers and women with the promise of an allowance of Rs 10,000 per month to all unemployed post-graduates and Rs 7,000 to all unemployed undergraduates in its manifesto.

It has also promised 33 per cent reservation to women in government jobs and 50 per cent reservation in Panchayati Raj institutions, in municipal corporations and city councils if it will come to the power.

For women empowerment, the state ruling Bharatiya Janata Party promised to provide free education to two girls from families whose total annual income is less than Rs 1.8 lakh.