The ECI is contemplating to start a unique electoral awareness programme in the country in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Election Commissioner Dr Nasim Zaidi said while giving his keynote address on the National Consultation on women’s participation in the electoral process here on Wednesday.
He said the awareness programme is mooted with the objective of creating awareness among working class women in organised and unorganised sectors to increase their participation in the voting process.
He said the corporate sector, particularly several big corporate houses, have shown interest and some others are roped in to start this kind of awareness drive under their corporate social responsibility activities.
Dr Zaidi said the ECI would do everything necessary to attract women voters to every election booth. In some States, the women voter turnout is decreasing and in some other States like Bihar, UP, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Delhi it is rising.
He expressed concern over the increasing gender gap in voter participation in the country during last few years.
He said an enabling environment would be created by the ECI to create awareness among working class women and rural women folk. All concerned authorities and line agencies-departments should ensure registration of more and more women voters in to the electoral role and ultimately their purposeful presence in voting booths.
ECI Director General Akshya Rout said the election is not the sole property of the ECI.
Stating that almost 30 crore voters didn’t cast their votes in the 2009 general elections, Rout said particularly the low percentage of women voter turnout is a matter of concerned for the ECI. ECI campus ambassadors are being appointed in colleges and universities to create awareness among girl students about universal adult suffrage.
Chief Electoral Officer of Odisha Dr Mona Sharma dwelt on female facilitation in polling stations, usage of women-specific communication tools to develop awareness among working class women. Odisha would do everything to enrol all eligible female voters.
The Chief Electoral Officers of Odisha, Bihar, West Bengal, Tripura, Kerala, Haryana, UP, Jharkhand and Gujarat as well as opinion makers of civil society, technology experts on election management and senior administrators of various departments of the Government of India participated in the two-day National Consultation.