Deploy women police to examine burqa-clad voters: BJP to EC

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday urged the Election Commission to ensure deployment of women police and para-military forces at "sensitive" polling booths in the last two phases of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly  polls to examine burqa-clad female voters. In a representation to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), the party said, "The BJP demands that to establish the identity of burqa-clad female voters in the sixth and seventh phase of the UP polls, women police and central para-military forces be posted at the sensitive and hyper-sensitive polling booths." It said a large number of burqa-clad women exercise their franchise and there was a possibility of false voting. "Adequate deployment of female police would ensure proper checking of women voters, and at the same time, minimise incidents of bogus voting," it said.