UP Polls 2017: Amroha saw women trying to be the pillar of the society
Though the voting percentage in the second phase of the election remained slightly less than that of 2012, the Amroha district of the state alone recorded 72. 37 per cent electorate casting their votes and moreover, it created history with approximately 73 per cent women using their rights
English Admin 
Arnima Dwivedi
Lucknow: Clothes aren't going to change the world, the women who wear them will... The quote seemed very true when the women who generally spent their life behind the veil came out to elect their own representatives in the 2017 assembly elections of Uttar Pradesh.
Though the voting percentage in the second phase of the election remained slightly less than that of 2012, the Amroha district of the state alone recorded 72. 37 per cent electorate casting their votes and moreover, it created history with approximately 73 per cent women using their rights of electing the leader.
Women of the district outshine the male electorate, whose voter turnout remained 70.99 per cent.
According to data with the Election Commission of India, Amroha has 2,65,381 registered voters out of which 22,255 are female registered voters. The voter turnout of the district in 2012 was 66.65 per cent.
Architect of this change-- Amroha DM Shubhra Saxena...
An IITian herself, District Magistrate of Amroha, Shubhra Saxena very well calculated and engineered the way out to aware the lower minority class women to come out and exercise their right.
From organising various awareness programmes to carrying out a scooty-rally herself, the IAS officer, did whatever was necessary to bring these ladies to the polling booths.
It is worth mentioning that the DM Shubhra Saxena is an IITian and a country topper in Indian Administrative Services (IAS) examination of 2009 batch.
Here is what the District administration did to encourage female voters:
- The areas were targeted where there was the least women voter turnout.
- Anganwadi and Polio workers were asked to carry out a door-to-door awareness campaign.
- The awareness programmes were organised for the minority class women.
- It was ensured that every polling party has a women officer as, the major complaint came from the female voters was that they felt uncomfortable with no woman and all men polling officers.
- Where the polling parties did not have women, local anganwadi workers were appointed to help out the voters.
What the Amroha DM said:
- While talking to newstrack.com, IAS Shubbra Saxena stated that she believed, equal rights for the sexes will be achieved only when mediocre women will come out to occupy high positions.
- The DM said that it was a tough task as these women have their own world confined to their homes and neighbourhood.
- "Being a lady, it was necessary to make them understand the importance of their votes. The whole district administration did a great effort to aware women of what their single vote is capable of," she said.
The scooty-rally story:
- DM Saxena herself decided to carryout a scooty-rally with about 1,000 women participating in it.
- The DM stated, "the administration carried out the rally for several days and went to every town and village of the district to persuade females and finally it was relief to know that the hard-work paid off at the ed of the polling day."
While the state is all set to witness the third phase of the legislative assembly elections, it could be wished that every district registers a large number of voter turnout and contribute to shape the future of the state.
In next slide: Constituency wise voter turnout data...
