“Just because it’s a public holiday, don’t sit at home and eat pakoras but get out and vote. If not for the next five years, the pakoras will spoil your stomach,” said TV artiste and stand-up comedian Kapil Sharma, who appealed to voters to exercise their franchise on April 10.
Mr. Sharma was roped in by the Delhi Election Commission to perform at a special function targeted at increasing voter awareness here on Friday and is on his way to becoming its “youth icon” to rope in more voters. The host of ‘Comedy Nights with Kapil’, one of the most watched shows on Indian television, was at the Talkatora Stadium using humour to drive home the point that people must vote next Thursday.
“Awareness should increase among people to go out and vote. This is very important for a democratic country,” he told reporters. However, Mr. Sharma admitted to not having a voter ID card since he belongs to Amritsar and his work has taken him across cities. “I have told the Election Commission to make me a card too but please do not take that as reason for not going out to vote,” he said.
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Chief Electoral Officer Vijay Dev said that the function was part of a series of events aimed at increasing voter turn-out. “In the Delhi polls we achieved historic voter turn-out and saw a lot of young people and women coming out to vote. Today’s function is titled ‘Celebrate democracy with a smile’ with an aim to make voting a celebration, like you would celebrate a festival,” he said.
Playback singer KK, who also performed, said: “Let’s make a pledge that we will go out and vote. Exercise your basic right to vote and you will feel good internally. Go and vote!”