In Maharashtra`s Thane district, 22 booths will be managed exclusively by women personnel on polling day on May 20, said an official on Monday. The district has total three Lok Sabha seats.

Thane collector and district election officer Ashok Shingare said the voting percentage of the district was poor at around 50 per cent (in 2019) as against the national average of 67 per cent and efforts are being made to take the turnout to 75 per cent, reported PTI.

Addressing a press conference here, he cited urban apathy for the low turnout in the district and said, “We have set an ambitious target of 75 per cent participation which we are trying to achieve through cooperation of voters.” He said the gender ratio of voters — the number of female electors per 1,000 male voters — has improved from 848 to 854 in the district located adjoining Mumbai.

As per PTI report, speaking about election preparedness, Shingare said around 40,000 polling staff will be on duty and added that high-value bank transactions, especially withdrawals, are being monitored. Banners, posters and hoardings have been removed from various spots, said the district collector.

Shingare said the number of voters in the 18-19 age bracket was only 82,327 which should be around 2.5 lakh. The district will have 22 all-women polling booths, while 18 such facilities will be managed by persons with disability (PwD), and one by young electoral personnel, said the collector.

Of the total 6,592 polling booths, 36 will be located in housing complexes to encourage voter participation, he informed. Shingare said the three Lok Sabha constituencies in the district — Thane, Bhiwandi and Kalyan — have 65,01,671 registered voters, including 29,94315 women and 1,274 transgender persons, added PTI report.

Thane district will vote on May 20 in the fifth phase of polling. Maharashtra, which has 48 Lok Sabha seats, will vote in five phases starting from April 19. 

(With PTI inputs)

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