CG Lok Sabha Elections: Women to manage 3320 polling booths, Raipur has highest number of women voters

By Raveesh Benjamin

Raipur. Chhattisgarh is one of the few states in the country where there are more women voters than men. The voter sex ratio in the state is 1015 i.e. one thousand fifteen women voters per thousand men. The highest number of women voters in the state is in Raipur Lok Sabha constituency where there are 11 lakh 69 thousand 358 women voters, while the voter sex ratio is highest in Bastar Lok Sabha constituency. Here, there are 1086 women voters per thousand male voters.

The women of Chhattisgarh are playing a strong and important role not only as voters but also in election work. Similarly, the responsibility of conducting the entire election in a free, transparent and fair manner has been given to the Divyang and Youth Voting Teams for the election. Voting will be held in three phases in the state for the Lok Sabha Elections-2024. A total of 24,229 polling stations have been set up in the state to ensure 100 percent voting. Out of these, 3320 polling stations are such where only women polling personnel will conduct the voting. All four members of the team will be women. Similarly, 90 Divyang and 387 Youth Voting Centers have been set up. Where only young polling personnel will work, similarly 450 model polling stations are also being made in the state.

In the first phase, where elections are to be held in Bastar Lok Sabha constituency, there is the highest voter gender ratio in the state. Here, out of 14 lakh 72 thousand 207 voters, 7 lakh 71 thousand 679 are women voters which is 52 percent of the total voters. Out of a total of 1961 polling stations in Bastar, 191 are Sangwari polling stations. At the same time, 36 youth and 08 Divyang polling stations have been set up. The way women officers and employees have decided to courageously complete the election work in a remote and Maoist-affected area like Bastar is an inspiration for other women.
Apart from women voters and polling parties in the state, women officers and employees of the state are participating in the elections in large numbers. Those who have been entrusted with the responsibility of conducting the three-phase elections in the state peacefully are also women. Women officers and employees are participating in large numbers for the comprehensive preparation of the elections and its successful conduct. The responsibility of successful conduct of election work in the state also rests on the shoulders of senior women IAS officers.

Apart from these, 13,500 women polling personnel including 1 Returning Officer and 17 Assistant Returning Officers are also included. Apart from 3320 Presiding Officers in the polling party, Assistant Presiding Officers are engaged with full readiness in conducting the elections in the state smoothly.

In the Chief Electoral Officer’s office, apart from CEO, women are working with full dedication in many departments including Assistant Chief Electoral Officer, Joint Director, Deputy Director. Most of the people working in the Media Monitoring Cell are women, while in the State Level Media Certification Committee also women officers are carrying out the election work very efficiently.