SHILLONG: There are a total of 67 all-women polling stations across the state of Meghalaya for Tuesday Assembly election.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has come up with the notion of women polling stations as a commitment towards gender equality and greater constructive participation of women in the electoral process.
Women polling stations are to be set up in one polling station for each Assembly Constituency where the entire polling staff, including the police and security personnel, shall be women.
The five constituencies in West Jaintia Hills and Ri-Bhoi district have women polling stations in each of them.
East Jaintia Hills and South West Khasi Hills have two constituencies each in which women polling stations have been put in place.
The two constituencies each in East Jaintia Hills, South West Khasi Hills have been allotted each women polling stations each.
In East Khasi Hills district, there a total number of 17 constituencies and there are 18 women polling stations. Sohra constituency has been allotted two women polling stations, i.e. in Mawkdok and Laitlyngkot
The districts of West Khasi Hills, South West Garo Hills and South Garo Hills have 3 constituencies each and all of these have been allotted one women polling station each.
Although there are three constituencies in East Garo Hills and each constituency has been allotted women polling station, however, the polling to the constituency of Williamnagar has been deferred because of the murder of a candidate in an IED blast.
Similarly, in the three constituencies of North Garo Hills district, there are several women polling stations. Under Kharkutta constituency, there are 7 women polling stations and in Mendipathar and Resubelpara constituencies, there are 4 and 1 women polling stations respectively.
In West Garo Hills district, the 11 constituencies have one women polling station each.