RANCHI: In a first, the Election Commission will introduce a token system in the upcoming assembly elections in Jharkhand to make it hassle-free and convenient for voters to exercise their franchise.
The initiative, officials said, is taken keeping senior citizens and a large number of women in mind who have to wait for long hours standing in queues for their turn at polling booths.
“We are making all efforts to make adequate seating arrangement for the voters, who will be given a token with a number on it as soon as they reach the polling booth. They can wait there sitting on the chairs meant for them till their name is called by the polling officer,” said State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Vinay Kumar Chaubey.
Seating arrangements of 50-200 people will be made in each of the booths in the State as per the earlier trends of voting, he added.
“We are writing to the National Service Scheme (NSS) and State School Education department to provide volunteers, who will look after the seating arrangements at polling booths.”
They will be given citation certificates for the contribution made during the polls, said the CEO.
In addition to that, there will also be provisions according to which, voters after taking permission from the polling officer, may go to their homes and return for voting after some time as per the time slotted for them.
Chaubey said that the objective is to give voters a respite from standing in long queues for hours; they can relax there sitting on chairs before they exercise their franchise.
The initiative has been lauded by the senior citizens and women, saying that it will give them respite from standing in queues for hours during voting.
“Some of us did not use their franchise to avoid long queues, but with token system introduced at the polling booths, such people will definitely actively participate in voting,” said a retired Income Tax Officer D Jha.
It will also help improve overall poll percentage in these elections, he added.