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Lok Sabha polls 2024: Campaign launched to boost voter turnout to over 70% in Kashi
A meeting, attended by representatives from more than 20 communities, focused on strategies to raise voter participation from 59% in the last election to 70% in the upcoming one.
District magistrate S Rajalingam held a meeting with the Community Sweep Ambassadors, appealing to them to work toward increasing voter turnout from 59% in the last election to over 70% for the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha general election. Community Sweep Ambassadors are responsible for making the public aware of the importance of voting.
The meeting, held at the Commissionerate Auditorium on Thursday, was attended by representatives from more than 20 communities. It focused on strategies to raise voter participation from 59% in the last election to 70% in the upcoming one.
Community representatives shared their opinions on how to increase voter turnout. The district magistrate (DM) noted that the administration has been making continuous efforts over the past six months to improve voting conditions. They have set up facilities at polling booths, such as cold drinking water, shade, separate lines, and wheelchairs for voters with disabilities, pregnant women, and the elderly. He urged the ambassadors to motivate everyone to vote.
The DM also mentioned that for voters over 85, polling teams will visit their homes to collect their votes if they fill out Form 12D. The administration is using various methods to encourage voting, such as gas cylinder tags, cinema ticket messages, human chains, car rallies, and scooty rallies, in preparation for the June 1 voting day. He encouraged ambassadors to raise awareness at cultural programmes, restaurants and hotels, which have agreed to offer discounts to voters.
Efforts are also being made to engage 31,000 registered people with disabilities and 117 transgenders for voter awareness campaigns. Awareness drives involving about 1,200 registered boats in the city were also discussed. Senior citizens were encouraged to talk about the importance of voting during morning walks.
The Street Vendor Association said it would put up banners at their shops and prioritise voting, even over refreshments. They also planned to hold a rally. Women’s groups suggested increasing awareness through various activities.
Speaking at the event, chief development officer Himanshu Nagpal encouraged community representatives, including street vendors, farmers, teachers, e-rickshaw drivers, sailors, fishermen, animal husbandry professionals, doctors, and others, to strive for a 100% voter turnout in their communities. He repeated the mantra, “Vote first, then refreshments.”
Nagpal urged everyone to download the Voter Helpline App to access all voting-related information. He noted that voter turnout in the later phases of the Lok Sabha General Election 2024 has been lower compared to 2019 and stressed the importance of motivating voters living outside the district to return and vote.
