The polling day in Chandigarh would pave the way for many voters to enjoy a matinee show. For, the youth and first time voters who cast their ballot early would get free popcorn, cold drinks and movie tickets.
In an attempt to woo the young voters to exercise their franchise, the Chandigarh Election Department will be distributing complimentary movie tickets along with coupons offering free popcorns and cold drinks at shopping malls to the first few youth voters at the polling stations.
Besides, the Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Development Corporation limited (CITCO) would offer 35 per cent discount on food (excluding buffet) in Hotel Mountview and Hotel Shivalikview and 20 per cent discount on food in Hotel Parkview on April 10 and 11 to the voters on the production of their voter identity cards and to those who show indelible ink mark on their finger.
Also, the voters after showing the indelible ink mark on their fingers can get 30 per cent discount in other hotels and restaurants in Chandigarh during the next two days of the election day. While talking to The Pioneer, UT Joint Chief Electoral Officer Tilak Raj said, “The first few young voters would get complimentary movie tickets, coupons to get free popcorns and cold drinks at shopping malls here. The tickets would be distributed at the polling stations in Chandigarh.”
He said, “Also, the CITCO hotels would offer 35 per cent discount on food to the electors who cast their votes on polling day i.e April 10.”
“The UT Election Department is also conducting awareness campaigns with an aim to disseminate message of ‘ethical voting’ and ‘maximum voters participation’ in view of ensuing lok Sabha elections. A big balloon would be installed at city’s Matka Chowk to spread voting awareness. Besides, CITCO’s hop on hop off double decker bus would move around the city to spread awareness on voting rights,” he added.
The Election Department has roped in three NGOs for organising street plays (nukkad nataks) across the city to sensitise the voters and encourage them to exercise their franchise on the polling day.
Besides encouraging the voters to cast their vote, the street plays are conveying a terse message regarding ‘ethical voting’ urging the electors not to fall prey to offers of money, alcohol and gifts from candidates during the general elections
The Joint Chief Electoral Officer said that the UT Election Department is also conducting campaigns to spread awareness about Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and inclusion of None Of The Above (NOTA) option in EVMs. The Department has already conducted 44 such campaigns in villages and colonies of the city so far.”
This time, the UT Election Department is targeting to ensure 80 per cent voters turnout in the ensuing lok Sabha polls,” said Tilak Raj. The polling day in Chandigarh is April 10. In Chandigarh, the highest electors turn out was 66.85 per cent recorded in the year 1971 here. The voting percentage was recorded 65.51 per cent in 2009 lok Sabha polls.
The Union Territory of Chandigarh, which is the common capital of Punjab and Haryana, has a population of nearly 11.9 lakh, with a voter strength of 6,13,939 including 3,32,888 male and 2,81,051 female voters.
After the revision of electoral rolls this month, the Chandigarh Election Department registered 23,263 first time voters falling in the age group of 18-19 years. With the polling day just 10 days away, the UT Election Department has geared up to organise a number of awareness campaigns to sensitise the electors of Chandigarh.