With highest number of all-women polling booths, Assam’s Cachar promotes equality

Cachar district has the highest number of all-women polling stations in the second phase of assembly election in Assam. In 2016, the district saw all-women-polling-stations for the very first time. There were ten such polling stations that year. It was a successful experiment and this year the administration wanted to increase more women polling booths. The district has created a record with 201 all-women-polling-stations which is the highest in the state.

Cachar also has the highest number of polling stations in the state. Each polling station has 4 officers, one presiding officer and three polling officers. The district administration is trying to deploy women police officers for security purposes in women polling stations. But considering the fact that the election is a sensitive procedure, there is no standalone women polling stations. Out of the total 1834 polling stations, 370 are auxiliary polling stations. As per Covid-19 guidelines this year, no polling booths can have more than 1000 voters. Where there are more than thousand voters the administration has made auxiliary polling stations. Most of the women polling booths fall under these auxiliary polling stations.

Deputy commissioner Keerthi Jalli emphasized the participation of women in most of the initiatives. She said, “I am a lady deputy commissioner and half of my officers are women. In fact, among our election officials, more men have applied for exemption from duty than women. This shows that women are willing to participate with a bigger heart. We are giving a message that women are no less than men in any field.”

Referring to the all-women-polling-stations she said, “In 2016 assembly election Cachar district for the first time had 10 such polling booths. That was an inspiration and this year we wanted to increase the number. But for that, the most important thing was to get adequate women polling officers. When we asked them, they agreed to participate and now we have the highest number of all women polling stations in Assam. This of course sets an example that our women are efficient and brave enough. I feel proud as a woman officer working in Cachar district.”

Rumi Dhar, a teacher by profession and a first polling officer in an all-women-polling -station said, “I am the mother of a girl child, I am going to retire soon and this is probably my last election duty. But for the first time I am going to an all women polling station.. This is such a beautiful moment for me; I cannot express how proud I am today.”

Tamanna Nasreen Barbhuiya from Katigorah constituency of Cachar is a second polling officer in one of the all-women-polling-stations in Cachar district. While leaving for duty on Wednesday she spoke to Hindustan Times and said, “I am a young working woman and I never feel I am less important. Getting a chance to be a part of an all women polling station gives me a feeling that we are not less efficient than any male officer. We can perform our duty with equal efficiency or even a bit more. I feel honoured that we have the highest number of all women polling stations in the state.”

Superintendent of Police of Cachar district, Bhanwar Lal Meena informed that they were trying to deploy women police officers in most of the all-women-polling-stations. He said, “We don’t have 200 women police officers in our district, but we are deploying as much women security officials as possible in these polling stations.”