India lauds voter; celebrates National Voter's Day today

New Delhi, Jan 25: In a view to increase voter awareness and sensitize the populace on the need to vote, the Election Commission is celebrating National Voter's Day on Jan 25, Tuesday. The commission is hoping to celebrate the day by encouraging young voters to register and participate actively in the election process.

According to the Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi, last year saw 3.8 crore new voters being enrolled of which 1.8 crores belong to the age group of 18 who have just become eligible. He also added that Tuesday will see a programme for voters and officials to take a pledge to strengthen the campaign.

In a move to felicitate new voters, booth-level officers in over 8 lakh polling station areas will take part in a ceremony that will see voters being handed over photo identity cards. They will also be given a badge with a slogan 'Proud to be a Voter - Ready to Vote'.

Quraishi said on the occasion that there has been a declining trend in voters participation over the decades which is somewhere around 55-60 per cent in the past few elections. The commission had identified gaps in not just registration but also in participation in elections. He added that certain media campaigns using national icons have yielded good results.

He also sought the help of media to engage in such programs to encourage people's participation in the elections.

OneIndia News