Women power at Delhi civic polls (Sidelights)
April 15th, 2012 - 7:18 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, April 15 (IANS) In the old quarters of Delhi, many veiled women, dragging their children along, were seen thronging the polling booths to vote in the civic elections. Ditto in Jamia Nagar area of south Delhi.
“I always vote. This is our right,” said Rukhsana Begum. But, ask her again, and she candidly explains. “Our vote matters, we are wooed… This makes us feel important. Also, it is like a social outing. So why not.”
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Delhi’s female voters pledge loyalty to woman candidates
The increase in the number of women candidates in the trifurcated Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections has had a cascading effect with large number of women voters turning up to vote in several west Delhi booths.
Thanks to the 50 percent reservation of seats for women, the Congress has put up 142 women candidates while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded 139.
According to 42-year-old Hema Arora, an Old Rajendra Nagar resident: “We have to support the women candidates as so many years of male dominated politics has not done much good and we need a change.”
“They are our hope to get things right,” she added.
Agreed Veena Dua, 38, a voter from West Patel Nagar: “Issues like adequate drinking water, clean neighbourhoods and parks are prime for everybody especially for homemakers like me,”
“I guess a woman candidate would understand these issues much better than a man,” she added.
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Cleaner voting booths
This time, for a change, the polling booths were cleaner. This could be because the polling agents - who give voter slips - were not present. One could just enter the booth with an identity card or photocopy of the election cards that were given a day before.
“A common sight at elections if of paper strewn outside the booths. But this time I was pleasantly surprised to see no clutter around the booths,” said Tarun Gogoi, a resident of Malviya Nagar.
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Good news for polling officers - Monday is off day
After a tiring Sunday, about 57,717 polling officers can relax on Monday with the office of state election commission announcing leave for them.
“It is for the first time that we have announced leave for about 57,717 polling officers,” an official of the state election commission told IANS.
Counting of votes will take place on Tuesday.
- Average voting in initial hours of Delhi civic polls (Second Lead) - Apr 15, 2012
- Delhi civic polls: Facts at a glance - Apr 15, 2012
- Delhi Police geared up for Sunday's civic polls (Lead) - Apr 14, 2012
- Voting picks up in Delhi civic polls (Third Lead) - Apr 15, 2012
- Delhi votes to pick trifurcated civic body (Fourth Lead) - Apr 15, 2012
- Delhi votes to elect new civic bodies (Lead) - Apr 15, 2012
- Delhi civic polls on April 15 (Second Lead) - Mar 01, 2012
- Voters boycott polls in parts of Delhi - Apr 15, 2012
- Delhi youth ask for right to not vote - Apr 15, 2012
- Voting begins for MCD elections - Apr 15, 2012
- Delhi votes for better civic amenities - Apr 15, 2012
- Delhi votes for three new civic bodies Sunday - Apr 14, 2012
- Counting of votes in MCD polls begins - Apr 17, 2012
- Over 55 percent turnout in Delhi civic polls, highest in 15 years (Roundup) - Apr 15, 2012
- Second phase UP polls: 36 percent higher voting than 2007 - Feb 11, 2012
Tags: bharatiya janata party, civic polls, election cards, hema, homemakers, municipal corporation of delhi, municipal corporation of delhi mcd, pledge loyalty, polling booths, rajendra, social outing, south delhi, veiled women, vote matters, voting booths, west delhi, west patel nagar, woman candidate, women power, women voters