Noida: Special arrangements for burqa-clad women to vote

Special arrangements have been made for burqa-clad women who will cast their vote in Gautam Budh Nagar on February 11

Additional district magistrate and deputy election officer Kumar Vineet said on Saturday that special arrangements have been made for burqa-clad women who will cast their vote on February 11 when polling is to be held in Gautam Budh Nagar district.

According to EC guidelines, special arrangements have to be made for ‘pardanashin’ women if a sufficiently large number of such women are assigned to a polling station. (Photo for representative purpose only)

Dadri, Dankaur, Rabupura, Jewar and some areas of Noida city have a sizeable population of such voters.

“In compliance with election commission (EC) guidelines, the district administration has set up special arrangements for burqa-clad women at booths where such voters are in large numbers,” Vineet said.

According to EC guidelines, special arrangements have to be made for ‘pardanashin’ women at polling stations if a sufficiently large number of such women voters are assigned to a polling station.

At all such booths, the presiding officer has to make special arrangements for their identification and application of indelible ink on the left forefinger by a woman polling officer in a separate enclosure.

The guidelines add that for the special enclosure, the presiding officer may use locally available but inexpensive devices and use local ingenuity such as use of charpoys or cloth such as bed spreads.