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HP elections: CEO honours 103-year-old voter, releases ‘Brown Bear’ mascot for voter awareness
An SVEEP mascot Brown Bear, named ‘Bholu’ dressed in traditional Gaddi attire was also releasedto motivate voters to cast their vote and give a message of conservation of the Brown bear, an endangered species mostly found in Kugti Wild Life Sanctuary, Chamba
Chief Electoral Officer, Maneesh Garg felicitated 103-year-old Sardar Pyar Singh with a citation at a district-level function ‘Old age Honour and Voter Awareness Programme’ at Bachat Bhawan in Chamba, on Saturday.
CEO honoured the senior voter with a citation duly signed by Chief Election Commissioner of India, (CEC) Rajiv Kumar.
Besides, the CEO also felicitated Singh with a Himachali shawl and cap at his house. Sardar Pyar Singh is the district icon for the assembly elections. While interacting with the CEO, Singh said that he first voted in the year 1952. Since then, he has never missed an opportunity to cast his vote and he generally walks to the nearest polling booth at Hatnala Mohalla. Singh retired as a teacher from Government Boys School, Chamba
“It was a unique initiative of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to honour and thank the elderly voters on October 1 which is ‘International Day for Older Persons’. It will inspire millions of young voters,’ Garg said.
The CEO said that the contribution of elderly voters in the electoral process is very important vis-a-vis the young and prospective voters should also take inspiration from them and participate in the electoral process with full zeal and enthusiasm.
The CEO also released an election mascot bearing the tagline in local dialect: “Mu Bi Gaana Vote Paana” (‘I will also go to vote’) under SVEEP activities for awareness of the people. An SVEEP mascot Brown Bear, named ‘Bholu’ dressed in traditional Gaddi attire was also released. The mascot aims at motivating the voters to cast vote and at the same time give a message of conservation of the Brown bear, which is an endangered species in the Himalayas and is mostly found in Kugti Wild Life Sanctuary, Chamba.
Earlier, deputy commissioner, Chamba, DC Rana who is also the District Election Officer honoured the CEO and shared details about the SVEEP activities being initiated in the district for awareness of the voters.
