The Commission interacts with First Time, PwD & Transgender voters, exhorts them to sensitize maximum people for enhanced electoral participation

Shiv Kumar:

CHANDIGARH, December 16: Amid the echoes of Punjabi Boliyan and Claps followed by Gidha performance, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Shri Sushil Chandra along with Election Commissioner Shri Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioner Shri Anup Chandra Pandey on Thursday flagged-off Voter Awareness Vans as part of a voter awareness campaign in the state. Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Punjab Dr. S Karuna Raju was also present on the occasion.

A total of 30 Mobile Vans, equipped with LED and Audio System, will roam across the state to create voter education and awareness on various aspects including registration, ethical voting and EVM-VVPAT. Bigger districts will get two vans each, while, one each van will be handed over to smaller districts.

After flagging off the awareness vans, the Commission team unveiled the Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) exhibition showcasing various audio -visual creatives and ongoing field activities in the state.

The Commission team then interacted with the different types of voters including First Time voters, Persons with Disability (PwD) voters, and Transgenders present on the occasion and encouraged them to sensitize maximum people for enhanced electoral participation. The Hon’ble Commission also felicitated these voters.

Notably, State PwD Icon Dr Kiran, who is visually impaired and Serving as an Assistant Professor at Punjabi University, Patiala and three district PwD icons including Mr Jagdeep Singh, who is President of Patiala Association of Deaf and serving as Senior Assistant PWD (B&R), Inderjeet Nandan and Mr Jagwinder Singh, a cyclist and employee at Soil Conservation Department, and two Transgender voters including Mohini Mahant and Aaina Mahant, both district icons, were also felicitated by the Commission.

The Commision during the review meeting with district officials, also launched an online Poster design contest to engage with youths and get new creative ideas about the values of every single vote. Top three posters would be given cash prizes of Rs 10,000, Rs 7500 and Rs 5000 rupees respectively and ten consolation prizes of 2000 would be given. The contest will happen across social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Later, the Commission released a KAP survey report, SVEEP Plan, EPIC Kit, EVM- VVPAT poster and Voter guide.

The SVEEP Plan was devised on findings of KAP survey, which includes nearly 2400 respondents across Punjab and was conducted by GNDU Amritsar through analysis of voters’ knowledge and practises as far as voting is concerned. This is for the first time that the Commission is giving a complete kit consisting of EPIC Card, Voter Pledge, Voter Guide and a personalised letter from DEO so that newly registered electors would have a memorable experience. Voter guide is a pocket booklet, to be distributed among every household, has all necessary information for a voter right from registration, casting of votes, information regarding EVM/VVPAT criminal antecedents of candidates, booth number, BLO mobile number etc.

A special poster on EVM/VVPAT was launched today which will be placed in all crowded locations and polling booths across the state.