Bihar polls: EC to use Anganwadi workers to verify burqa-clad voters

The Election Commission (EC) of India on Friday, 10 October, announced special arrangements at polling stations in Bihar to ensure the “dignified” identification of women voters wearing burqas or purdah during the upcoming assembly elections.

In an official statement, the EC emphasised that the move aims to encourage participation of ‘purdanasheen’ women while maintaining their privacy. The identification process will be conducted in the presence of lady polling officers or attendants, strictly following the commission’s guidelines.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said Anganwadi workers will be present at all polling booths in Bihar to assist in verifying the identity of women voters in burqas. He clarified that the commission’s guidelines regarding identity verification inside polling stations will be adhered to meticulously.

“Our Anganwadi workers will be deployed at all polling booths for verifying the identity of burqa-clad women. The guidelines of the commission are very clear about this — how identity is verified inside a polling station, and they will be strictly followed,” Kumar said.

The EC had earlier stated that up to 90,712 Anganwadi sevikas would be deployed across Bihar on poll duty, underscoring the scale of preparations to facilitate smooth and dignified voting.

The announcement comes amid calls from political leaders to ensure proper verification of voters in burqas. Bihar BJP president Dilip Jaiswal had urged the commission last Saturday to ensure that the faces of women turning up at booths in burqas are accurately matched with their voter ID cards.

Bihar will go to polls for 243 assembly constituencies in two phases — 6 November and 11 November — with vote counting scheduled for 14 November. The EC’s measures aim to balance voter participation with security and privacy, particularly for women observing traditional coverings.

With PTI inputs