Women polling personnel who performed their election duties during last elections have proved extremely effective and competent. This was observed by the district administration after the Himalayan task of conducting poll was over.
Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Sambit Nayak said, “In fact, the women polling personnel have outsmarted their male counterparts. They showed their efficacies. There was neither a single complaint nor failure from the Pink booths, which were managed exclusively by the women polling personnel. They followed all the guidelines as per the SOP. They proved far more efficient than male polling personnel be it in reporting, conducting or maintaining log books etc.”
“Against the gender bias this decision of creating Pink booths in each constituency was taken. Not only during the polling even on the counting day, they were very meticulous everywhere,” he said.
District Collector Ramesh Chandra Rout observed, “ They (women personnel) have done a commendable job and accomplished the task efficiently. The experiment with the Pink booths has proved to be quite successful.”
In the district as many as 6Pink booths were made during last elections. Women from various sectors including schools and colleges, banking and other sectors were pooled and deployed in the election duties after training. Six personnel, including presiding officer formed a polling team.
District Election Officer Manoj Kumar Senapati informed, “The initial plan was to create Pink booths at least 5 in each block as well as in urban local bodies (ULBs). Although there was a plan to erect 91 such booths, yet 65 booths were made finally across the district. Besides, the polling personnel, all other support staff including police were women."