Voters Day:CJ appeals to voters to vote

Shillong, January 25: Meghalaya high court chief justice PC Pant urged the people to actively exercise their franchise during the upcoming parliamentary election and strengthened India’s democracy.

Addressing the National Voters’ Day celebration organized by the state election department at U Soso Tham auditorium on Saturday, Pant said, “Citizens’ participation in the democratic elections which starts with registration and culminates with voting on the polling day is of utmost importance to strengthen the country democracy.”

Pant highlighted the endeavour made by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ensure that everyone who is eligible should be enrolled and those enrolled should participate in the election processes.

Pant said that as the Indian citizens the people must be grateful to the founders of the Indian Constitution for creating an independent Election Commission which has render valuable service to the people of India each and every time it was called upon to do so.

Stating that a significance exercise is taking part all over the country with the objective of bridging the gaps in the electoral rolls, Pant said, “The election machinery through various campaigns and programme has been directed to address the difficulties in electoral registrations among various categories and groups like tribals, marginal sections, differently-abled and others.

Pant expressed his happiness that Meghalaya is the first state in the country to achieve 100 per cent photo electoral rolls.

“I am confident that this celebration will further give impetus to our endeavour to make universal adult franchise a reality by creating awareness regarding our voting rights and importance of effective participation  in the election process,” Pant said.

The chief justice also administered the Voter’s Pledge during the occasion.

Meghalaya  Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) P Naik informed the department is launching a campaign to motivate voters to enroll and participate in the election process for a stronger democracy. He, however, stated that the process of enrollment and participation should be voluntary from voters’ end.

Naik further informed that in the last state assembly elections, the state recorded 88 per cent of the voters’ turnout while during the last parliamentary elections it was 64 per cent which is much more than the national average. He said the ECI is targeting to reach 70 per cent in the upcoming parliamentary elections.- By Our Reporter