Chief electoral officer wants SPPU to start certificate course on elections, voting

PUUNE To encourage more students to enrol as voters and create awareness, there is a need to implement systematic voters’ education and electoral participation (SVEEP) in universities and colleges,” said Shrikant Deshpande, Maharashtra state chief electoral officer

PUUNE To encourage more students to enrol as voters and create awareness, there is a need to implement systematic voters’ education and electoral participation (SVEEP) in universities and colleges,” said Shrikant Deshpande, Maharashtra state chief electoral officer.

HT Image

He visited the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) on Monday, along with other senior officials from the state election department, including Pune district collector Rajesh Deshmukh and SPPU vice-chancellor Prof Nitin Karmalkar.

Deshpande said, “A student coming to study at any university or college is a future voter after he/she completes 18 years of age. To create awareness about voting and democracy SVEEP programmes need to be held. At the university level various programmes should be had, right from creating voting awareness in the university, to active participation of NSS students. Also, start a certificate or credit-based course.”

District collector Deshmukh said, “As part of voter awareness programme in the state, we are going to take several programmes and courses for university students which would start soon. We had a very good discussion with the university officials. SPPU is one of the prominent universities in the country and we are happy to tie up with them.”

SPPU vice-chancellor Prof Karmalkar said, “We are the only state university whom the state election commission officials have approached for the SVEEP programme. We have advanced technology and the capability to give the best to students.”