Election approaching nearer, Chief Election Commissioner Dr Nasim Zaidi would arrive in Dehradun on November 2 to inaugurate the two- day State Voter Awareness Festival to be held at Gandhi Park. He would also meet a host of officials to discuss the preparedness on their part for the upcoming election in the state.
Informing this, the state chief electoral officer Radha Raturi said on Thursdaythat they are stressing on maximum participation of the voters in the election.
“To ensure that at least 80 percent of the state’s electorate exercise their franchise in the upcoming Assembly election, the State Election Commission would hold a two- day State Voter Awareness Festival at Gandhi Park, starting on November 2,” she said.
The festival would be inaugurated by Chief Election Commissioner while it would be concluded by state chief secretary Shatrughna Singh, she added.
Dr Zaidi would meet representatives of various political parties following which he would chair a meeting with chief electoral officer, senior police officers, senior officers of income tax, transport, excise, IT, Public Works Department and other departments. On November 3, Dr Zaidi would get into a huddle with the district election officers to review election related preparedness for forthcoming Assembly election. Dr Zaidi would also meet chief secretary, DGP and principal secretary home to discuss the same issue.
She said that the festival is meant to create awareness among the voters on the imperative of casting votes in participatory democracy. Voters, especially the youths, would be instructed on the role election commission of India has been playing in a democratic system and the role youth can play in strengthening democracy.
Under the awareness campaign, cultural programmes, painting competitions, plays, folk dances, folk songs, Rangoli competitions, Menhadi art competitions, quiz, youth parliament, display of video clip and small films would be organized across the state. In addition, march past by the scouts would be held and police band and ITBP band will be played.
Besides, voter help line, voter registration camp, Adhar card registration camp, EVM training camp and a model of Adarsh voting centre would be at Pavilion Ground to help the voters. The problems the voters are facing on different counts would be redressed too. State icons -Manish Rawat from Sports, Kavita Bisht from women empowerment and Tashi and Nungshi from adventure would participate in the above programmes. All th districts would display its voter awareness activities through stalls at Pavilion Ground, Raturi added.