Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan said there should not be any number game once a government was formed after the election process.
Speaking at the National Voters’ Day celebrations at Ravindra Bharathi here on Wednesday, he favoured radical reforms in the electoral process and said by-elections should have a time frame rather than conducting the same for a whole year as governance would be disrupted. He noted that the Election Commission’s functioning was transparent in the country.
Stating that he was speaking as a citizen of the country, he said those who resort to fraud and mischief in elections should be brought to book immediately. He said youth should express their choice. However, youth in cities do not participate in voting but talk more outside. Voting percentage was not going beyond 40% in cities and everyone should exercise their voting right before criticising the government. On the occasion, he also made the students take a pledge on voting. Chief Electoral Officer Bhanwarlal said students should play a key role in creating awareness among people on voting and voters’ rights.
‘Do not neglect voting’
Telangana State Election Commissioner V. Nagi Reddy described voting as people’s faith in democracy and advised everyone not to neglect voting. “Each vote makes a difference like small drops creating an ocean,” he said and felt that voters’ awareness has improved over the years.
Earlier, the Governor presented voter identity cards to new voters and also senior voters.
Felicitation
He also felicitated the employees who did well in preparing the voters’ list. GHMC Commissioner Janardhan Reddy and hundreds of students from various colleges were present.
