Tarun Karthick
Port Blair, 29 March 2024
In preparation for the forthcoming Lok Sabha Election 2024, an enlightening awareness program aimed at maximising voter participation was organized by the Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) team at the Lecture Hall of ANIIMS on March 28, 2024.
Mr. Wairokpam Punshiba Singh, IAS, the Nodal Officer for SVEEP, took the podium to address the students. He underscored the significance of SVEEP as the flagship program of the Election Commission of India, dedicated to voter education, awareness, and literacy. Singh emphasized that SVEEP employs various interventions to educate citizens about the electoral process, ultimately fostering informed participation.
Encouraging eligible voters to exercise their franchise vigorously during the upcoming General Election-2024, Singh urged them to consider the act of voting as a celebration of their democratic rights. He motivated the students to prioritise their civic duty over daily tasks and emphasised the importance of contributing to a healthy democracy. The Polling Day for ANIPC, slated for April 19, 2024, marks the commencement of the Lok Sabha Election-2024, with ANIIMS participating in the first phase.
Mr. Amar Kumar Singh supplemented the session with a comprehensive Power Point Presentation covering diverse topics such as the history of elections since 1950, cVigil, Model Code of Conduct (MCC), insights for first-time voters, and details of essential electoral resources available online such as voters.eci.gov.in and electoralsearch.eci.gov.in. Additionally, he introduced YUVA (Youth Unite for Voter Awareness) and urged students to utilize the Voter Helpline App for seamless access to election-related information.
Moreover, Mr. Singh urged the students to verify their voter registration status by checking their names in the Voter List / Electoral Roll, thereby ensuring their active participation in the electoral process.
The awareness program served as a vital initiative in empowering the student community with knowledge and motivation to actively engage in the democratic process, reinforcing the foundation of a vibrant democracy.