Students of the Volakadu Composite High School took an oath to encourage their parents and neighbours to exercise their franchise on the polling day on April 17, here on Monday.
The oath was administered to the students by Kumara, Additional Deputy Commissioner, during the school assembly.
Speaking at the Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) awareness programme held at the school, Mr. Kumara said that all eligible voters had the right to vote in a democracy. Voting was both a right and a duty.
Citizens should realise that along with rights, they also had duties to perform.
The Election Commissioner and various other organisations had taken up voters’ awareness programmes.
“Students should tell their parents and neighbours to go and vote on the polling day. The polling booths would be open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on April 17. People should vote without falling prey to any inducements,” he said.
Nagendra Madhyastha, Deputy Director of Public Instruction (DDPI), said that every vote was valuable in a democracy. Hence all eligible voters should exercise their franchise without any fear, he said.
School headmistress B. Nirmala was present.