In a novel way to spread awareness on revision of voters’ list of the district, the administration has approached private buses and auto-rickshaw operators plying in city to display messages for inclusion of voters name in electoral rolls during an intensive campaign. The idea is to spread greater awareness on the initiative.
East Singhbhum District Sub-Election Officer, Gayatri Kumari on Monday informed that that a meeting was held with the organisations representing private buses and auto-rickshaws for displaying stickers and messages provided by the district administration motivating voters to enroll their name in the voters’ list.
Kumari went on to inform that the district transport officer Sanjay Kujur arranged a meeting with representatives of the private buses (Shikshit Berozgar Minibus Association) and auto-rickshaws (the Shikshit Berozgar Tempo Chalak Sanchalak Sangh) outfits and they have agreed to display the stickers in their vehicles with website of the district administration and the election commission of India (ECI) and the importance of enrolling in the voters’ list before December, 2016.
The private fleet of 120 busses that run on 14 routes across the city, witnesses a daily footfall of more than 1.5 lakh commuters.
The bus association secretary Sanjay Kumar Pandey and auto-rickshaw secretary Shyam Kinkar Jha said they are ready to extend their cooperation to the district administration.
“We have decided to display the stickers on our vehicles as more number of voters would mean better voter turnout and election of good candidates for future,” said the leaders.
Meanwhile, East Singhbhum deputy commissioner Amit Kumar today addressing media said that special focus would be to reach out to vulnerable groups and women during an intensive campaign.
“We have decided to carry out special campaign to reach out to vulnerable groups like primitive tribe group and even women so that maximum number of bonafide voters (who have attained 18 years or above by January 2017) are enrolled in the electoral rolls. The final publication of electoral rolls would be done as per directive of the election commission on January 16, 2017,” said Amit Kumar.
As per the draft publication electoral rolls done today, there are 16,52,226 voters (male- 8,47,080 and women- 8,05,141 and five transgender) and 1292 service voters in the district.
It may be mentioned that there are around 1885 polling booths across the district in six assembly constituencies of Jamshedpur East, Jamshedpur West, Baharagora, Ghatshila, Potka and Jugsalai.