Women-only polling booths in Ranchi and Karnataka for LS polls

For the Lok Sabha polls on May 6 in Ranci, 198 pink booths, exclusively for women, will be set up and a total of 600 polling booths of the 58,186 voting stations in Kerataka to be set up on April 18 and 23 will be managed by women personnel, an election official said on Monday.

"As part of ensuring gender equality and constructive participation of women in the electoral process, the Commission has directed to set up 'all-women managed polling stations'," said a statement from Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sanjiv Kumar's office.

"Not only voters, but staffs and security personnel at these booths will also be women," Rai Mahipat Rey, Ranchi Deputy Commissioner, said.

There will be four polling officials and five security personnel in each of these booths, spread across Assembly segments like Kanke, Khijari, Ranchi and Hatia. Jharkhand will go to polls in four phase from April 29 to May 19.

Karnataka will have 58,186 voting stations for election to the 28 Lok Sabha seats in two phases – on April 18 for 14 seats and April 23 for another 14 seats.