MCD Polls: Model & Pink polling stations set-up to encourage voters

NEW DELHI: Sixty-eight model polling stations and an equal number of pink polling stations have been designated in New Delhi in view of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections scheduled on Sunday, officials said.

Delhi State Election Commission authorities on Saturday shared a list of these 136 polling booths.

Officials said that the special polling stations aim to provide unique arrangements for women, elderlies and persons with disabilities, among other people to encourage voters' participation in the 250-wards MCD polls.

"There are around 70 assembly constituencies, and these special polling stations have been set up in a manner that each assembly constituency will have at least one Model polling station or one Pink polling station," they said.

The list of areas includes Rohini, Mubarakpur Dabas, Shalimar Bagh, Pitam Pura, Jafrabad (Zeenat Mahal), Maujpur, Tukhmirpur, Green Park Extension, Malviya Nagar, JNU, Neb Sarai, Dakshinpuri, Dr Ambedkar Nagar, Dwarka, Najafgarh, Mayur Vihar, Priyadarshini Vihar, Rajgarh Colony, Punjabi Bagh, Janak Puri, Keshav Puram, Prasad Nagar, RK Puram, Dilshad Garden etc.

While model polling booths come with amenities for voters, including the elderly and persons with disabilities, like drinking water, separate toilet facilities, seating arrangements, ramps, wheelchairs etc. to enhance the voting experience.

Similarly, Pink polling stations are managed entirely by the women polling personnel, and have been set up to encourage female voters to vote, officials said.

Delhi State Election Commission has set up 13,638 polling stations for the civic body polls in the national capital, slated for Sunday.

The high-stakes MCD elections will take place on Sunday and the counting of votes will be held on December 7.

The State Election Commission said a large workforce of election functionaries and security agencies have put humungous efforts to make necessary preparations for conducting elections at 13,638 polling stations spread across Delhi. Further, 68 Model Polling Stations and 68 Pink Polling Stations have been established for the quality experience of the voters. Adequate arrangements for the deployment of forces have been made.

The Commission said it has made elaborate arrangements for "safe, secure and pleasant" voting experience. These measures are required to keep the electoral field free and to ensure that a level playing field is afforded to all political parties and candidates.