The State elections department has, for the first time, signed a memorandum of understanding with a couple of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to propagate the messages of ‘maximum voter participation and ethical voting’ among electors.
As of now, the NGOs roped in for the purpose are Youth Exnora International and Forum for Electoral Integrity, Praveen Kumar, chief electoral officer (CEO), said at a press conference on Friday.
During the 2011 Assembly elections, at an informal level, the department had coordinated with the Forum for Electoral Integrity on some activities.
As part of the department’s campaign, the authorities have been organising a host of events, including rallies, mini-marathons, human chains, street plays and floating of balloons.
For instance, a human chain has been planned event along the route of Girivalam, the path used by pilgrims to circumnavigate the Arunachaleeswarar temple and the nearby hills in Tiruvannamalai. was planned.
Starting from National Voters’ Day (Saturday) until the Lok Sabha polls, the department will focus its campaign on the themes of maximum voter participation and ethical voting. Other government departments too, have been requested to spread the message.
On Friday, the department’s personnel took a pledge. School and college students were also administered the pledge, the CEO said, adding that on Saturday, at those educational institutions that would be open, students will take the pledge.
Mr. Praveen Kumar said the distribution of Electors Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) to new voters would formally be launched on Saturday at a function to be held at Raj Bhavan in connection with the fourth National Voter Day (NVD) celebrations.
Governor K. Rosaiah will give away the cards to some of the young electors. The NVD events will take place in all 27,946 places, accommodating 60,418 polling stations to distribute the cards.
Pointing out that about 27 lakh new electors had been enrolled, the CEO said the department planned to arrange the delivery of the cards to the doorstep of those electors who could not collect their cards on Saturday.
Booth-level officers will ensure the distribution and they have been given one month to complete the task. On March 1, details of those who have not been issued the cards will be put up on the department’s website: www.elections.tn.gov.in .
As part of the department’s steps to sensitise people further on the polling process, a Facebook page: www.facebook.com/tnelection2014 has been created, and the CEO formally launched it.
