The Election Commission of India (ECI) would speed up its campaign in the State in order to increase voter turnout in the General Election 2014. It was informed by the ECI Director General Akshay Rout at a Press meet here on Tuesday.
On the eve of the two-day consultation on voters’ participation to be organised jointly by the ECI and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Rout said they have initiated an effective programme, the Systematic Voter Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP), to enhance voter participation and awareness in the country as well as in Odisha. Vote
He said the purpose of this campaign was to inform and motivate every eligible voters to exercise franchise theirduring polls. The campaign would also focus on registration of eligible voters. “We have created history in achieving the highest percentage of voter turnout by initiating SVEEP programme in five States where the election ended recently,” said Rout, adding, “The programme has also enhanced women participation in the recently concluded polls.”
He informed that the percentage of women was more than that of men in the four States-Chhattishgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi.
Chief Electoral Officer of Odisha Mona Sharma said they have taken necessary steps to stop issuing more than one voter ID to a person. Even they have started deleting names of deceased persons from voters’ list. “We have deleted 16.5 lakh voter IDs in the State during the special drive between April and July this year,” she added.