Chief Electoral Officer Dr Mona Sharma on Friday emphasised that every voter should possess a Voters’ Identity card for his or her benefit and even for the country’s benefit.
Sharma said this while launching a campaign ‘My Vote, My Country’, organised jointly by the Odisha Election Watch and the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) here. She called upon all voters, who are yet to have Voters’ ID cards, to immediately apply to their respective district Sub-Collectors for the same.
She also asked the electoral officers to specifically see to it that all village women are enlisted in the voters’ register. “In the villages, women’s names are normally not found in the voters’ list. Steps should be taken to enlist them,” she added.
Prof Reeta Ray viewed that corruption can be eradicated if the voters elect honest candidates. “It is the moral duty of people to cast their votes,” she opined.
Prof Surya Narayan Mishra also urged people to elect genuine candidates. Actors Sarat Pujari and Bijaya Mohanty too commented on the benefit of voting.
Among others, NSS regional head Sarita Patel, social worker Suchit Singh, former police DG Amiya Bhushan Tripathy and ADR member Nibashlu encouraged people to vote for good candidates as a fight against money power and crimes.
While former Chief Secretary Sahadev Sahoo chaired the meeting, OEW convenor Ranjan Mohanty gave the welcome address and Swati Tanaya delivered a vote of thanks.