EC lends a hand: Woman avails 'doli services' to access polling booth in Mahim, Mumbai

Facilitating voters to access their polling booth, 'doli services' are available in most polling booths in Mumbai in phase 4 of the Lok Sabha elections on Monday.

Doli is a makeshift arrangement when bamboo sticks are tied on the sides of a wooden chair, to transport the voter who has difficulty in reaching the polling station (especially when the polling stations are on upper floors)

This was witnessed in a polling station in Mahim, Mumbai where a woman was seen carried by a polling officer and a family member to exercise her democratic right on Monday.

The Election Commission has provided many such facilities to ease the inconveniences caused to voters so that they can vote easily.

Lok Sabha 2019: EC Announces 'sanitary' Gift To Women Voters At All-women Managed Poll Booths In Suburban Mumbai

To encourage women voters, the Election Commission has come up with a unique 'goodwill gesture' - to give sanitary pads to every woman coming to vote at the ‘Sakhi matdan kendras’ in suburban Mumbai on April 29. This was announced by an Election commission official saying that the gesture is aimed at encouraging more women to come out and exercise their franchise.

‘Sakhi matdan kendras’ are polling booths entirely managed by women. These have been set up in all 26 Assembly segments of suburban Mumbai, consisting of three administrative subdivisions – Kurla, Andheri, and Borivali.

“Each woman voter at these polling booths will be given a pack of sanitary napkins as a goodwill gesture," said the official in a press conference.

Election Commission has also shared photos of rural and differently abled voters, coming out to vote on Monday 

There is also an eco-friendly booth installed in Darbhanga, Bihar to promote environmental awareness among voters.

Mumbai is voting in a single phase on April 29. The Indian general election is currently being held in seven phases from 11 April to 19 May 2019 to constitute the 17th Lok Sabha. The counting of votes will be conducted on 23 May, and on the same day, the results will be declared.