SHILLONG, AUG 28: East Khasi hills district deputy commissioner Sanjay Goyal launched the Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP – II) in an attempt to ensure maximum and complete participation especially of the young voters in the upcoming 2014 Lok Sabha election.
“The idea is how to get the youth particularly those in the age group of 18 years involve in the election processes,” Goyal said during the launch on Wednesday.
Goyal also said, “Those youths who are yet to be 18 years as on January 2014 are eligible to enroll themselves as voters.”
“The district administration has also identified a total of 20 ambassadors from the different educational institutions in the city who will further create awareness on the importance of participation in the election process.” Goyal informed.
Earlier, additional district magistrate DM Wahlang informed that there has been dismal turn out of voters so far as urban areas like Pynthorumkhrah, Mawlai, Shillong North, East, West is concern in the last state assembly elections held earlier this year.
Wahlang said, “Through this SVEEP programme, we expect that the turn out of the targeted age group (18 years) will encourage them to enroll as well as participate in the upcoming election.”
The objectives of SVEEP II are also in sync to the theme “From greater participation to complete participation”.
Giving a brief presentation on the programme, extra assistant commissioner N Hajong said another objective is to match the 18 + population as per census and gender ratio on rolls to match the gender ratio as per census to the voters awareness process.
It will increase the percentage of enrolment in the newly eligible 18 – 19 years age group from existing 35 – 40 % to nearer 100%, besides bridging the gap in registration in urban areas, Hajong informed.
The programme further aims at increasing the NRI registration from the present dismal level of around 0.1% to at least 10%.
Highlighting on the action plan, Hajong said, “Special interventions for bridging gender gap in rolls, for fighting youth disconnect and urban apathy in registration in partnership with identified agencies will be part of the effort.”
Besides, special campaigns through print & electronic media to be run for voter’s awareness, regional or local icons may be identified by the state and promos for registration may be prepared using them, after getting approval of Commission on the content (messages), in addition to the national icons of ECI.
The details of Booth Level Officers should be publicized to the common public, so that the people within the polling area are able to identify and contact the BLO for any information related to elections and registration, Hajong added.
Meanwhile, the district administration in collaboration with DERT will also hold street plays (in different languages) to create awareness among the public on the importance of exercising their voting rights.- By Our Reporter
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