In a significant move to raise voter awareness ahead of the upcoming Assembly Elections 2024, Deputy Development Commissioner Manish Kumar flagged off an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) awareness chariot from the District Collectorate premises in East Singhbhum, Jamshedpur. The initiative, carried out under the guidance of District Election Officer cum Deputy Commissioner Annay Mittal, aims to educate voters about the process of voting using EVMs and VVPATs.
Speaking at the flagging-off ceremony, Manish Kumar highlighted that the awareness chariot will travel through all assembly constituencies of the district to familiarize voters with the entire voting process. "This mobile demonstration van will be in operation from September 18 until the official election announcement. It will provide hands-on demonstrations to the public using dummy ballot papers, ensuring voters understand how to cast their vote via EVMs and verify it through VVPAT," said Kumar.
The awareness campaign includes not only the mobile demonstration van but also static exhibition centers set up at key locations. These include the District Collectorate premises, Sub-divisional Office Dhalbhum, Ghatshila, Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee, Jugsalai Municipal Council, Chakulia Block, and Jamshedpur Block Office. At these centers, voters can directly engage with the EVMs and VVPATs, experiencing first-hand how the voting process works.
To ensure smooth functioning and security, a police force, magistrates, and district personnel have been deployed with the mobile chariot at every polling station. Additionally, Booth Level Officers (BLOs), BLO supervisors, sector officers, and sector police officers will be present during the EVM demonstrations.
Also present at the inauguration were Project Director of ITDA Dipankar Chaudhary, ADM SOR Mahendra Kumar, Sub-divisional Officer Ghatshila Sachidanand Mahato, District Deputy Election Officer Priyanka Singh, and other key officials.
This voter awareness drive is expected to play a crucial role in ensuring a smooth and informed voting process during the upcoming elections, empowering citizens to exercise their democratic rights with confidence.
