Tableau on voter awareness (SENCE) should be displayed at Republic Day function. This was directed by State Election Commissioner R Parasuram during a meeting with Commissioners of Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur and Chhindwara Municipal Corporations. Parasuram said this tableau should also be taken around in the cities and villages.
Parasuram said discussions should be held with office-bearers of citizens’ committees to motivate members and their family members to vote and added all arrangements should be made at polling booths to facilitate disabled persons and senior citizens for voting.
He said January 31, the polling day for urban bodies, should be observed as a festival so that they feel they are going to participate in a festival instead of casting vote. The commission said slips containing appeal to vote on January 31 should be distributed to consumers at petrol pumps and ATMs. He directed to conduct mock polls in all localities. Cooperation of voluntary bodies should also be sought for making voters aware. If a polling booth is situated deep into a lane, then information about it should be displayed on a signboard on the main road.
Parasuram said video clippings of SENSE activities should be screened in cinema houses also. letters should be written to principals of all educational institutions and bank managers to motivate staff to vote.
Commissioner of BMC Tejaswi S Nayak said voter awareness programmes will be held at Rahgiri Day. Pedestrians will be informed about their ward and motivated to vote. Commissioners of Municipal Corporations of Indore, Jabalpur and Chhindwara also informed about voter awareness programmes.
Mock poll
Parasuram directed all Collectors and DEOs to conduct mock polls with 3 ballot units with minimum 10 EVMs at the seats where 15 or more candidates are contesting elections. Minimum 500 votes will be cast in every mock poll.