Nagpur: To increase voter awareness and promote women’s participation in the electoral process, the Election Commission of India has directed the establishment of ‘Women-Controlled Polling Stations’ across the country. In Maharashtra, 426 polling stations for the upcoming 2024 Assembly elections will be managed exclusively by women, with 13 of these located in Nagpur district.
These special polling stations will be staffed entirely by women, from police personnel to election officers and support staff. The initiative aims to foster gender equality and ensure greater involvement of women in the electoral process. Typically, polling stations with a higher proportion of female voters are selected for this initiative. The Election Commission has also stipulated that these polling stations will avoid any political party’s specific colors to maintain a neutral atmosphere.
In Nagpur district, these women-controlled polling stations will include locations such as Shri Ram Vidyalaya, Ramtek; Harihar Vidyalaya, Parseoni; Zilla Parishad Primary School, Gumgaon (Savner); Zilla Parishad Higher Primary School, Isasani (Hingna); Katol High School (Katol); Dadasaheb Balpande College of Pharmacy, Mouda (Kamptee); Panchayat Samiti Office, Umred; Milind Primary School, Untkhana (Nagpur South West); KDK College, Great Nag Road, Nandanvan (Nagpur East); Shri Mata Bhagwati Chaturvedi Engineering College, Harpur (Nagpur South); Baba Nanak Sindhi Hindi Secondary School (Nagpur Central); Hyderabad House Civil Lines (Nagpur West); and Vinayalaya High School, Martin Nagar (Nagpur North).
With these polling stations, authorities hope to boost women’s confidence and participation in voting. Each station’s location was chosen with security in mind, avoiding sensitive areas and opting for sites near government offices or police stations for ease of access.
District Collector and Election Officer Dr. Vipin Itankar urged all female voters to exercise their right to vote, emphasizing the importance of their contribution to the electoral process.
