KANNUR : Mahe is poised to make history as the first constituency in India to be entirely managed by female staff.
In the upcoming election, every polling station in Mahe region under Puduchery Lok Sabha constituency will be under the control of female polling officials.
The Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) and political parties in Puducherry have pledged their full support for this groundbreaking initiative.
“When we conducted the first level of randomisation of duties to identify potential polling officers, we found that 75-80% of the aspirants were women. That’s when the idea for this all-women initiative took shape,” said Mahe assembly level trainer T Shijith.
With the ARO’s assurance for support from all political parties in Mahe, the officials contacted all female aspirants and commenced training programmes for the polling officers. “On April 19, Mahe’s elections will etch a historic milestone with all-women polling stations,” he said.
Mahe constituency comprises 35 polling stations, including four reserved polling booths. Each booth will be staffed by four female personnel. The regional administration has already conducted three training sessions for these officials, with plans for an additional counselling session on Friday. “We are committed to providing all necessary facilities, including safety measures, for the polling officials. We have received huge response from all polling officials,” added Shijith.
The selected female officials also expressed their enthusiasm for the opportunity. “We’re all incredibly excited and proud to be part of this extraordinary moment. Being entrusted with such a significant responsibility has made us feel empowered. Through the training sessions provided, we’ve become well-acquainted with the procedures, and are fully prepared to carry out our mission,” said presiding officer Priya Barali.
“Initially, there were some apprehensions among us, particularly regarding the pre-polling and post-polling duties. However, after the first two training sessions, we have gained confidence in fulfilling our responsibilities. The regional administration has assured us of safety measures, including police patrolling and the presence of reserve officials in case of emergencies,” Priya added.