MP Polls: In a first, women shoulder entire poll process in all 201 booths of Raipur North assembly seat

Raipur: Women have been entrusted with the responsibility of shouldering the entire voting process in all the 201 polling stations in an assembly constituency in Chhattisgarh capital Raipur, a move billed by officials as the first of its kind in the country.

The second and final phase of assembly polls involving 70 seats in the state began on Friday morning, while results will be declared on December 3.

“For the first time in the country’s democratic history, women will shoulder the entire responsibility of an electoral process in an Assembly segment. There are 201 polling stations in Raipur City North seat and all are 'Sangwari booths' where everyone from the presiding officer to the polling officer are women," the district administration said in a release on Thursday.

“With 201 polling centres and all booths having women officers, 804 women have direct responsibilities while about 200 women have been kept in reserve. The Observer for this seat is woman IAS officer Vimla R and her Liaisoning Officer is also a woman. Security in most of the booths will also be managed by women personnel,” it added.

Notably, the Chief Electoral Officer of Chhattisgarh is woman IAS officer Reena Baba Saheb Kangale, the release informed.

In Raipur North assembly constituency, where women officers have been put on duty at all the booths, the sex ratio is 1010, that is, there are 1010 women for every thousand men, it said.

Raipur Collector and District Election Officer Dr Sarveshwar Narendra Bhure said on Thursday that the idea of entrusting the entire responsibility of one assembly seat of the district to women came up at the beginning of the election process and a plan was formulated after everyone appreciated the idea.

“It is a historic event when the entire team comprises women. They are confident they will fulfil this important responsibility. Raipur City South segment will also have women personnel at half the booths. It will ensure a significant role of women in the two constituencies,” Bhure said.