Voter registration drive begins in Vijayawada

A special voter registration campaign was launched by the district administration for students, who will attain 18 years of age by January 1, on M.G. Road in Vijayawada on Sunday. Photo: Ch.Vijaya Bhaskar

Joint Collector P. Usha Kumari flagged off a rally organised at Swaraj Maidan in the city on Sunday as part of the special awareness campaign on voter enrolment undertaken by the Chief Electoral Officer of Andhra Pradesh.

On the occasion, Ms. Usha Kumari said every person aged above 18 (attaining the age on or before January 1) should be registered as a voter to exercise the adult franchise and that only two days remain for getting that done as December 17 was fixed as the last date for voter enrolment.

Electors’ photo identity cards would be issued after the scrutiny is over in the coming months and people also have the opportunity to apply for enrolment on the website www.ceoandhra.nic.in

Sub-Collector D. Harichandana, Returning Officers of Vijayawada Central, East and West constituencies B. Subba Rao, Ramesh Kumar and Chakrapani and others were present.

At Machilipatnam, Revenue officials led by RDO P. Saibabu took out a rally in the streets appealing to the youths aged above 18 to get registered as voters. Special announcements were made in every street about the voter registration programme.

Mr. Saibabu said enrolment of new voters would be done till December 17, for which booth-level officers were posted at the respective polling booths. Those who could not get registered as voters on Sunday, can get information and also applications for registration at both the offices of Tahisildar and RDO before December 17.

The Guntur Municipal Corporation has opened 10 special counters to receive applications for voter enrolment.

Additional Commissioner and Electoral Officer of Guntur West and East Constituencies, P. Srinivasulu said in addition to the Election Cell on the GMC premises, 10 special counters have been opened on GMC premises. Two counters to know the voter status would also be opened near the Citizen Charter.

Mr. Srinivasulu also said a special drive to attract more number of young people to enrol was taken up under Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP)- a campaign of continuous engagement with public, civil society groups, educational institutions and media.