Chief Electoral Officer Rajat Kumar has directed all the returning officers in the State not to use any specific colour for all-woman polling stations for the Assembly elections in the State.
The all-woman polling stations generally known as “pink booths or sakhi booths” are managed entirely by women including the polling staff, police and other security personnel. They are also painted in pink colour as it is generally identified with women.
However, in response to a clarification sought by the CEO on the pink polling stations, particularly in the backdrop of representations given by some parties against use of pink colour for them since it is known as the colour of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), the Election Commission has directed the election authorities in the State against use of any single colour for such all-woman polling stations.
Colour of dress
“This is to avoid any inadvertent use of the colour of any particular political party in or at such polling booths,” Mr. Rajat Kumar said in a statement here on Saturday. He, however, made it clear that there was no bar on the choice of colour of dress of the polling staff in the all-woman polling stations. “They can wear any colour of their choice,” he said .
Stating that no single colour should be used for paraphernalia associated with such polling stations, the CEO explained that the Election Commission had directed setting up of all-woman managed polling stations in every Assembly constituency during general elections held in the recent years. It was in tune with the Commission’s commitment towards gender equality and to ensure greater participation of women in the electoral process.
