KANKER: A visit to Maoist-affected Kanker district with predominant tribal population on a fine election-day weather one witnessed various exogenous features aimed at enthusing voters to join the ‘festival of democracy’ in Chhattisgarh.
The Kanker administration had gone ahead with engrossing innovations and emerged as among the best performing districts in the conflict zone of Bastar. Located some 150 km south of Raipur, Kanker is among the seven strife-torn districts in Bastar division.
And to conduct peaceful, free, participative polls in areas with Maoists presence remained a challenge for the Election Commission amid the poll boycott call by Left wing extremists. The Kanker administration, led by Collector Dr Priyanka Shukla, familiar with the ground reality, meticulously executed their action plan.
Various innovative measures were put in place throughout the district that not just led to generating awareness among the masses, but also secured the highest ever average turnout with over 80 per cent voting in all the three reserved (scheduled tribe) constituencies in the district. The collector and his team undertook campaigns under Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) activities that paved a way for encouraging high electoral participation to meet the Election Commission’s (EC) endeavour of “no voter be left behind”.
Model polling stations on novel multiple themes were put up under the supervision of the collector. ‘Matdata Mitr’ (Voters’ friend) at every polling station helped elderly and sick voters and pregnant or lactating mothers. To attain inclusive participation, the ‘Rainbow’ polling station was set up at Pakhanjur that has the maximum number of third gender voters.
Then ‘Bitiya (daughter) Help Desks’ were set up at all polling stations where the strength of first time female voters was high. ‘Shatayu Voter Vriksha Abhiyan’ was planting trees at polling stations on the names of centenarian voters as a mark of respect, as they came all the way to use their voting rights. A polling station with an impressive eco-friendly theme caught the attention of the Election Commission of India, 32 polling booths set up for the first time since Independence recorded over 80 per cent voting, while 15 others recorded around 90 percent.
Maoist threats failed to deter locals from exercising their franchise. At places where the Red brigade triggered IED blasts and engaged in exchange of fire with the forces saw a jump in the voting percentage as compared to 2018.
Kanker district Assembly seats: 3 (ST) Total voters: 561403 Total candidates: 36 Male voters: 274393 Female voters: 287000 Total polling booths: 727
