The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced that special arrangements will be made at polling stations in Bihar to ensure the “dignified identification” of women voters wearing burqa or purdah.
In its statement, the Commission said these measures are meant to encourage participation of ‘purdanasheen’ women in the upcoming assembly elections. “Special arrangements will be made at polling stations for their dignified identification in the presence of lady polling officers or attendants while ensuring their privacy,” the statement read.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, during a press conference on Monday announcing the Bihar election schedule, said Anganwadi workers will be deployed at all polling booths to help verify the identity of women voters in burqa.
“Our Anganwadi workers will be deployed at all polling booths for verifying the identity of burqa-clad women. The guidelines of the commission are very clear about how identity is verified inside a polling station, and they will be strictly followed,” Kumar said.
Earlier, Bihar BJP president Dilip Jaiswal had urged the Commission to ensure that the faces of women wearing burqas be matched with their voter ID cards at the booths.
According to the ECI, 90,712 Anganwadi Sevikas will be on poll duty during the elections.
Bihar will go to polls in two phases, on November 6 and 11, for its 243 assembly constituencies, while counting of votes will take place on November 14.
