Srinagar, May 10 : To make the voting process a festive occasion, poll authorities in J&K's Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency on Friday said that they have prepared 32 theme-based polling booths that are colour-coordinated as per its message.





Bilal Mohi-Ud-Din Bhat, the Returning Officer of the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat said that Polling booths in pink, red, and blue have been prepared as per their theme i.e. women voters, Persons with Disabilities (PwD) voters and young voters.



'Eight polling booths have also been set up to go with its theme of environmental sustainability while 32 polling stations will have vibrant and colourful message boards, so that voters experience a festival-like environment, besides promoting participatory and inclusive voting in Srinagar,' Bhat said.



He said that the District Election Office, Srinagar has made polling stations colourfully vibrant, conveying special messages regarding women, PwD, and the youth, besides (making) environmentally viable and sustainable polling stations.



He said that eight pink polling stations have been established for women in different areas of Srinagar from Hazratbal, Anchar to Central Shalteng.



He said that these polling stations would be managed by an all-women staff, comprising booth-level officers, presiding and polling officers, police and security forces.



'The polling stations have the women-centric theme to drive home the point that women are capable of discharging duties in any sphere of life. The 8 red polling stations have been set up for persons with disabilities which will be staffed by PwDs,' Bhat said.



He said that these polling stations have been equipped with wheelchairs, ramps, braille script and other features to infuse confidence into differently-abled to make the voting process a smooth activity for them.



'The idea is to instil confidence among the section and encourage them to vote wherever they are besides increasing sensitisation about their issues. Additionally, more than 40 per cent of PwDs have already been given the opportunity to cast votes under ECI's initiative 'Vote from Home,' the Returning Officer Bhat said.



The three-day campaign for home voting which was flagged on May 7 by the DEO concluded Thursday.



Eight polling stations have been painted blue across Srinagar district for the youth.



Bhat said that to foster the cause of environmental sustainability, eight polling stations have been coloured green while plantation activity shall be carried out on the polling day by the first voter.



'All the polling stations will be plastic-free,' he said.



Nearly 17.50 lakh people are going to decide the fate of the 24 candidates in the fray for the Lok Sabha polls in Srinagar on May 13.



Among these, over two lakh are first-time voters, who are in the age group of 18-20.



National Conference candidate Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, Peoples Democratic Party candidate Waheed ur Rehman Parra and J&K Apni Party candidate Mohd Ashraf Mir are the main contestants among the 24 candidates in the fray in the Srinagar constituency.



Campaigning for the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat will end on Saturday and the constituency will vote on May 13.

/IANS