Distribution of elector’s photo identity cards (EPIC) to 91,168 new voters, whose names were included in the electoral rolls during the recent summary revision exercise, began on Saturday. Booth-level officers will distribute the EPIC door to door to those who have not obtained the card through the respective polling stations on Saturday, according to a release from the district administration.
At the National Voters’ Day observation, Collector Jayashree Muralidharan said the district had 20,33,188 voters accounting for 72 per cent of its population. About 65,000 of the new voters enrolled in the summary revision exercise were youth, she said.
Srinivasan Sundararajan, Director, National Institute of Technology, who distributed the EPIC to some of the new voters, said youngsters should use their franchise to bring about changes in society. N. Murugavel, Vice chancellor, National Law School, said all citizens should ensure that their names were enrolled in the voters’ list.
Earlier, a large number of students took out a rally to sensitise people to the need for discharging their democratic duty.
The rally, flagged off by Shailesh Kumar Yadav, City Police Commissioner, was taken out from R.C. Higher Secondary School to St. John’s Vestry School grounds where the National Voters Day awareness meeting was held.
Participants led by the Collector took a pledge at the meeting committing to exercising their franchise.
Competitions and awareness programmes were organised across the district.
