Model polling booths surprise voters

Avneet Kaur

Jalandhar, May 19

Model polling stations gave a pleasant surprise to voters as they were welcomed with a red carpet, music band, rangolis and were offered flowers. There were nine all-women managed polling stations and 45 model booths set up in the district during the elections today.

During a visit to model polling booths in the city and outer areas, a major difference was observed between ordinary stations and the model ones.

A beautiful red carpets were laid at Sai Dass AS Senior Secondary School, MGN Public School, Adarsh Nagar, and Government Girls Senior Secondary Smart School, Nakodar. Rangolis were also made in the centre of the ground. Several paintings encouraging voters to cast their votes were also displayed on walls.

The model booths were also having an improved queue management with rope separators, assistance of volunteers and priority voting for PwD, senior citizens, pregnant and lactating mothers.

The polling station at MGN Public School, Adarsh Nagar, in Jalandhar West, Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Ladowali road in Jalandhar Central, were headed by an all-women team. Entire employees at the polling stations, including the polling staff, police and security personnel, were women. They reached the station early in the morning and managed all affairs on their own.

Meanwhile, as balloon was the election symbol of an Independent candidate — Valmika-Charya Nitiya Anand — the district administration, got all pink balloons removed from the pink booths (model booths) last evening.

Talking to The Tribune, a booth-level officer at Jalandhar West, where five polling stations, including two model booths, were set up, said: “We beautifically decorated a model booth with pink and white balloons, but as the balloon is a symbol of a candidate, we got orders from the administration to remove the same and use flowers and ribbons only.”

Rajwinder Kaur, a teacher on duty at the model polling station, Ladowali road, while sharing about her experience of having managed the poll duty on their own, said: “Though we were a bit nervous when we first reached the station this morning, but the administration made all necessary arrangements. Hence, we managed all things well and did not face any difficulty.”

She said the experience had added confidence in tackling so many people at the same time and had given a hands-on experience of the voting process.

An elderly voter, Rajendra Nath Bhardwaj (88), at MGN, Adarsh Nagar polling station, said: “For the first time I am enjoying voting, as volunteers are here to assist elders and women staff are managing the affairs in a proper manner.”

Another elderly voter Harjinder Kaur said: “Provision of cold water and sitting arrangements are there and priority is given to senior citizens. The administration and the polling staff had done a good work.”