86 polling stns to be set up in hsg societies ‘for ease of voting’

Mumbai: Residents of Navjivan Society, a four-decade-old housing complex in Mumbai Central, are delighted that election officials will set up polling stations inside their ground-floor community hall during the upcoming election. They believe this arrangement will benefit all, especially the elderly and differently abled.
Navjivan is one of the 86 polling stations that will be established in private premises across Mumbai, as the Election Commission aims to ensure that mostly all booths are located on the ground floor for the benefit of senior citizens and the differently abled to encourage voter participation.In all, 150 polling stations will be set up in private premises in Mumbai, Thane, and Pune, with multiple polling stations on the same premises too.

While election officials face no difficulty finding spacious societies for setting up polling stations in south Mumbai, they encounter challenges in slum pockets such as Dharavi.
Nearly all of those approached by election officials have offered their society clubs, community halls, offices, gyms or parking areas to set up polling stations. Election officials say this arrangement will encourage a higher turnout of women.
“Our society comprises 17 buildings with 725 flats and 100 shops with more than 3,000 voters. We offered our club and community hall for a fee, considering it is a public cause, when election officials approached us. The officials selected the spacious community hall within the society. It will be a big help for senior citizens and handicapped individuals. Apart from our society residents, a couple of hundred voters in nearby buildings' names are also listed for casting their votes in our premises,” said Satish Bokadia, secretary of the Navjivan Society. Another society office bearer, Kishor Bhansali, added, “As most of us live in a joint family, having a polling station in the premises means that each member can walk in according to our convenience.”
Election officials had requested the select private societies to not arrange any function inside the selected premises for three days. One day before the voting, they will take control of the premises and free it a day after the voting.
When election officials approached one of the selected societies, Vaibhav Cooperative Society in Dharavi, residents offered their parking area but with the condition that their residents’ names should be listed at the polling station.
Assistant returning officer of Dharavi, Ashwini Patil, said they made some adjustments and reworked the polling list to address the concerns of such society members.