Punjab EC partners with FB to reach out to new voters

Chandigarh, Oct 4: The Punjab Election Commission has partnered with the Facebook in order to reach out to potential young voters ahead of the 2017 assembly polls, Chief Electoral Officer VK Singh said today.

"To reach to potential voters specially in young age group who are on Facebook, a special drive has been jointly planned by CEO office and Facebook India office," Singh said here in an official release.

A reminder to register their names for the forthcoming elections will appear on the timeline of all Facebook users of 18 years of age and above in Punjab on October 6.

This drive is part of the partnership between Facebook India and CEO of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Manipur and Uttarakhand which are going to polls in 2017.

From October 6-9, Facebook users in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Manipur and Uttarakhand, who are 18 years and above, will receive a reminder in their 'News Feed' to register to vote for a day.

By clicking on the 'Register Now' button, users will be directed to the National Voters' Services Portal which will guide them through the registration process.

The feature will be available for people on Facebook in Punjab on the October 6, for those in Manipur on October 7, for people in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh on October 8 and for people in Goa on October 9, the release said.

"It is imperative that all voters not registered till now must submit their forms in hard copy or online till October 7.

Forms received later than that will be processed in January 2017 only. We are determined to see that no voter is left behind from registration," he said.

"The CEO also urged the voters to like the official Facebook page '@The CEO Punjab' on Facebook to see all future announcements and also to provide feedback or suggestion to the CEO office," the release further said.

PTI