To celebrate National Voters Day on January 25, the Election Commission put together a big event with the theme ‘Nothing like voting, I vote for sure’ at the JNTU auditorium in Hyderabad.
Vikas Raj, the State Chief Electoral Officer, led a meeting to plan the event and make sure it runs smoothly at the local level. He instructed all District Election Officers (DEOs) to celebrate National Voters Day in their areas, starting from the voting booths. They were given instructions to create awareness about the Election Commission’s work.
The goal of the event is to motivate people to vote in the upcoming general elections. DEOs were asked to organize competitions like debates and drawings at schools, and to display posters in public places. They were also told to hold seminars, webinars, ads, and campaigns to spread the word.
Vikas Raj encouraged government departments at different levels to take part, including postal services, railways, Panchayat Raj Institutions, social service groups, and local bodies. At the local level, new voters will be recognized, and they will get new Electors Photo Identity Cards (EPIC).
Raj stressed the importance of creating and sharing creative content about postal voting, facilities at polling stations, Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), Voter Verified Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs), voter helpline apps, and ethical voting. He told officials to choose fair-minded people from various backgrounds, like Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), seniors, transgenders, and other marginalized groups, to be election icons.